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Lead

Chemical Dangers

Key Concerns

Lead exposure indoors poses a serious health risk, especially for older adults and young children. Lead can be absorbed into the body through paint dust, contaminated soil, and drinking water, and it builds up in the body over time. Once absorbed, lead can cause damage to the brain and other vital organs, including the kidneys, nerves, and blood. Homes built before 1978 are the most likely to contain lead-based paint, and homes built before 1986 are more likely to have lead pipes, fixtures, and solder in their plumbing.

Key Concerns

Lead-based paint is still present in millions of homes, often hidden beneath layers of newer paint. It becomes a hazard when it is peeling, chipping, chalking, cracking, damaged, or damp — especially on surfaces that get a lot of wear, like windows, window sills, doors, door frames, stairs, railings, banisters, and porches. Lead dust can also form when these surfaces rub together or during home repairs, and it can be tracked indoors from contaminated soil. Lead can additionally enter drinking water when pipes, faucets, and fixtures that contain lead corrode. According to the CDC, there is no safe level of lead in drinking water. The Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates that roughly 35 percent of U.S. homes contain some lead-based paint.

How to Limit & Avoid Risks Associated with Lead

  • Wipe down flat surfaces, like window sills, with a damp paper towel and throw away the paper towel. Mop smooth floors (using a damp mop) weekly to control dust.
  • Vacuum carpets and upholstery to remove dust. If possible, use a vacuum with a HEPA filter or a "higher efficiency" collection bag.
  • Pick up loose paint chips carefully with a paper towel and discard them in the trash, then wipe the surface clean with a wet paper towel. 
  • Consult a certified lead professional before beginning renovation, repair, or painting projects. These activities can create toxic lead dust when painted surfaces are disturbed or demolished. 
  • Test for lead hazards by a lead professional (have the soil tested too). Lead testing for drinking water costs between $15 and $100. 
  • Learn if you have a lead service line by contacting your water utility or a licensed plumber to determine if the pipe connecting your home to the water main is made of lead. 
  • If you have a job or hobby involving lead: never put leaded materials in your mouth, use proper ventilation when melting lead, avoid handling food or touching your mouth/face while working with lead, wash hands before eating or drinking, shower and change clothes before entering your vehicle or coming home, and launder work/hobby clothes separately from the rest of the family's clothes. 
  • In drinking water: use cold water for cooking and drinking. Never use hot water directly from the tap, as it dissolves lead more quickly, and never use hot tap water for mixing baby food or infant formula. Let taps run for a while before using the water to clear corroded lead particles. Use a water filter specifically designed to remove lead, or a home water treatment system like reverse osmosis or a distiller. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Where is lead commonly found in older homes?

Lead can come from dust, paint, and soil. Homes built before 1978 are the most common homes to have lead paint inside of them. Lead-based paint hazards may also be found on windows and window sills, doors and door frames, and stairs, railings, banisters, and porches — surfaces that children can chew or that get a lot of wear-and-tear.

2. Is lead paint dangerous if it's not disturbed?

Deteriorating lead-based paint (peeling, chipping, chalking, cracking, damaged, or damp) is a hazard that needs immediate attention. Lead in household dust also results from indoor sources such as old lead-based paint on surfaces that are frequently in motion or bump/rub together (like window frames).

3. How can I tell if there's lead in my home?

The best way to learn if your drinking water supply has a risk of lead is to have it tested. You'll find a list of state-certified laboratories on the EPA website, or you can call the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791. For paint, dust, and soil, testing should be done by a certified lead professional.

4. What health problems can lead exposure cause?

Some symptoms of lead poisoning may include headaches, stomachaches, nausea, tiredness, and irritability. Children who are lead poisoned may show no symptoms. In adults, symptoms include muscle weakness, pain, paresthesia ("pins and needles"), nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea or constipation. Higher levels of lead can also cause loss of concentration, memory loss, depression, joint and muscle pain, fatigue, high blood pressure, nausea, poor appetite, kidney damage, and damage to the nervous and reproductive systems.

5. Can I remove lead hazards from my home myself?

To permanently remove lead hazards, you must hire a certified lead "abatement" contractor. Abatement methods include removing, sealing, or enclosing lead-based paint with special materials — just painting over the hazard with regular paint is not enough. You can temporarily reduce lead hazards by repairing damaged painted surfaces and planting grass to cover soil with high lead levels, but these are not permanent solutions and need ongoing attention.

6. What should I do if I think there is lead in my home?

Contact the National Lead Information Center (NLIC) for help locating certified contractors in your area and to see if financial assistance is available. Always hire someone with special training for correcting lead problems — someone who knows how to do the work safely and has the proper equipment to clean up thoroughly.

7. Are there other sources of lead exposure besides paint?

Yes:

  • Drinking water: Lead can enter drinking water when plumbing materials like pipes, faucets, and fixtures that contain lead corrode. Homes built before 1986 are more likely to have lead pipes, fixtures, and solder.
  • Soil: Both inside and outside the home, deteriorated lead paint mixes with household dust and soil and becomes tracked in.
  • Hobbies and jobs: Lead can be found in hunting ammunition, fishing tackle, came and solder used in stained glass, weights used in stock cars, and dyes and glazes used in pottery.

References & Helpful Articles