Watch Out for Lead in Your Home!

Lead in the home, if not properly recognized and controlled, can pose serious health hazards. Most lead enters the home through three sources; paint, dust or soil. Minimizing the lead levels entering your home through these sources can significantly protect your loved ones from lead poisoning. The following are some warning signs to look for and some precautions to take to avoid lead poisoning in your home.

1. Be Wary of Homes Built Before 1978
-Most homes built in the U.S. before 1978 contain some lead-based paint. In 1978, the federal government banned lead-based paint from housing.

2. Be on the Look-Out for Paint Chips
-Cracking, chipping, peeling, or chalking painted areas should get immediate attention. Door and door frames, window and window frames, and other areas that endure significant wear and tear need attention.

3. Lead Dust is Hard to Recognize
– When paint is scraped, sanded, or heated dust forms. Settled dust can reenter the air during cleaning and vacuuming.

4. Lead in Soil can be Harmful
-Limiting the amount of soil tracked into your home can greatly reduce the risk.

5. You can Temporarily Reduce Lead Hazards
-By repairing old or damaged painted surfaces and planting grass to cover soil, you significantly lower risk levels. In general keep areas clean of dust and keep children out of high risk areas.

6. You can Permanently Remove Lead Hazards
-By hiring a “lead-abatement” contractor. This trained professional will remove, seal, and enclose areas in your home.

7. When Remodeling Your Home
-Have the area tested for lead based paint. Be sure to control the amount of dust created. Keep the family out of the work area.

8. Recognize other Sources of Lead
-Drinking water, your work area, old furniture and toys, lead pottery or porcelain can all contain harmful levels of lead.

Reducing the danger of lead in your home is important. For more information on lead in your home, contact your local health department.