Avoiding lead exposure is extremely important for the health of your family and the home you all live in. Almost a million children in this country under the age of six suffer from lead poisoning. And while we’ve all heard a lot about lead paint and toys in the news recently, there is an even bigger danger from lead paint that may already be present in your home.
About 38 million homes contain lead paint, and if your home was built before 1978, chances are it has lead-based paint somewhere under all those layers. Exposure to that lead content is especially harmful to kids and affects brain development, and the vast majority of children with lead poisoning are exposed to lead from the old paint in their own home.
Avoiding lead paint exposure
The EPA estimates that there are as many as 8 million renovations each year that may include the potential for lead paint exposure through the generation of dangerous levels of lead dust, which, even in minuscule amounts, can harm children. There are ways to reduce the amount of dust and potentially prevent lead exposure during such a project, and the following tips are courtesy of the folks at the National Center for Healthy Housing:
- Use a certified lead-based paint professional for painting and remodeling projects.
- Keep paint in good shape.
- Work safely and clean up if you paint or repair.
- Keep your home free of dust that may potentially contain lead-based paint.
- Watch where your children play.
- Have your child tested for lead paint exposure.
For more tips on how to avoid lead paint exposure, visit the National Center for Health Housing.
