How Can I Protect My Family From Lead In The Home?

If the home you're considering was built before 1978 and you have young children, you may want to have an inspection for lead-based paint. It is important to know that lead flakes from paint can be present in both the house and in the soil surrounding the house.

Lead exposure can harm babies and young children. People can get lead into their bodies by breathing or swallowing lead dust, or by eating soil or paint chips with lead in them. Peeling, chipping, chalking or cracking lead-based paint is a hazard and needs immediate attention.

You can temporarily reduce lead hazards by repairing damaged painted surfaces and planting grass to cover soil with high lead contents. These actions are not permanent. To permanently remove lead hazards, you can hire a lead "abatement" contractor. Permanent lead-hazard elimination methods include removing, sealing, or enclosing lead-based paint with special materials. Just painting over the hazard with regular paint is not enough.