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 Mobile ViewENERGY SAVINGS in buildings ENGINEERED WOOD Flooring ENGINEERED WOOD Products AIR CLEANER PURIFIER TYPES AIR FILTERS for HVAC SYSTEMS AIR POLLUTANTS, COMMON INDOOR ALLERGEN TESTS for buildings ALLERGENS in BUILDINGS, RECOGNIZING ALLERGY & MOLD IAQ PRODUCTS ALLERGY TESTS for PEOPLE ALLERGY TEST ACCURACY ANIMAL ALLERGENS / PET DANDER ANIMAL ENTRY POINTS in buildings ANIMAL ODORS IN buildings ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION IN buildings BASEMENT MOLD BATHROOM MOLD BIBLIOGAPHY for ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, MOLD, IAQ BIOLOGICAL POLLUTANTS BLUE vs YELLOW COMBUSTION FLAMES BLUERAY Recall BUILDING SAFETY HAZARDS GUIDE BUILDING SETTLEMENT CAR MOLD CONTAMINATION CARBON MONOXIDE - CO CARBON MONOXIDE WARNING CABINETS & COUNTERTOPS CARPETING & INDOOR AIR QUALITY CARPETING, SELECTION & INSTALLATION CAT DANDER in buildings Cell phone Radiation Hazards CHAIN OF CUSTODY - TEST SAMPLE CHIMNEY INSPECTION DIAGNOSIS REPAIR CHIMNEYS & Flues - Asbestos Transite Pipe CHINESE DRYWALL HAZARDS DRYER VENTING DRYWALL INSTALLATION Best Practices DRYWALL MOLD DRYWALL MOLD RESISTANT ENERGY SAVINGS in buildings ENGINEERED WOOD Flooring ENGINEERED WOOD Products FIRE DAMAGE vs MOLD DAMAGE FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP MOLD: A COMPLETE GUIDE TO MOLD INDOOR AIR QUALITY & HOUSE TIGHTNESS INDOOR AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GUIDE INDOOR AIR HAZARDS TABLE INDOOR AIR QUALITY METHODS COMPARED LEAD POISONING HAZARDS GUIDE Lead levels in blood How lead enters the body Sources of Lead Lead Based Paint Lead Paint Surveys Lead Plumbing Lead in Water Lead Toys, Jewelry Report on the National Survey of Lead-Based Paint Lead in Air - U.S. Lead Emissions Standards LEAD CONTAMINATION HAZARDS in the HOME Protect Your Family from Lead Lead in Homes Before 1978 Lead Hazard Warnings Lead in the Body Lead's Effects on People Extreme Lead Poisoning Symptoms, Effects Testing Your Family for Lead Lead-Based Paint Uses in buildings Lead paint hazard spots in buildings Checking Your Home for Lead What You Can Do about Lead in the Home Remodeling & Lead Hazards Other Lead Sources Help Numbers for Lead Poisoning Government Contacts for Lead Info LEAD CONTAMINATION in WATER, HOW to TEST Lead Contamination from Water Lines Lead in Water, Health Risks Lead Contamination Limits in Drinking Water Lead Test Results Affected by Test Methods LEAD EXPOSURE HAZARDS INDOORS LEAD HAZARDS & FEAR: Enviro-Scare LEAD IN DRINKING WATER, HOW to REDUCE Lead in Drinking Water Health Effects of Lead Lead in Drinking Water Steps You Can Take Tests for Lead Contamination in Water LEAD PAINT REMOVAL ALTERNATIVES LEAD PAINT REMOVAL TROUBLES LEAD PIPES in BUILDINGS LEAD in ROOFING, EFFECTS LEAD TEST KIT for HOME USE LEAD WATER PIPING HAZARDS & REMEDIES Allowable Lead Levels in Water Lead Level vs. Test Methods MOLD ACTION GUIDE - WHAT TO DO ABOUT MOLD ODORS, Smells, Gases in buildings-Diagnosis & Cure RENTERS & TENANTS GUIDE TO MOLD SAFETY HAZARDS GUIDE SEPTIC SYSTEM INSPECT DIAGNOSE REPAIR SICK HOUSE IAQ QUESTIONNAIRE SEWAGE BACKUP TEST & CLEANUP STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING EXTERIORS TECHNICAL & LAB PROCEDURES THERMAL TRACKING TRAPPED MOLD BETWEEN WOOD SURFACES VAPOR BARRIERS & CONDENSATION in BUILDINGS VENTILATION in buildings VINYL Siding or PLASTIC Window ODORS in buildings VINYL CHLORIDE HEALTH INFO WALL SIDING TRIM & FINISHES WALL FINISHES INTERIOR WATER BARRIERS, EXTERIOR BUILDING WATER ENTRY in buildings WATER ODORS, CAUSE CURE More Information |
This article explains simple steps to reduce the hazard of lead exposure in homes. This article includes excerpts or adaptations from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss, courtesy of Wiley & Sons. Our page top photo shows lead paint in poor condition on painted wood trim in a home. Paint in this condition is a particular hazard to children but it is also dangerous to home remodelers who may remove or strip lead paint if proper precautions are not taken. See LEAD POISONING HAZARDS GUIDE for our full list of environmental hazard identification and remedy related to lead in or on buildings. © Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, Daniel Friedman, Steve Bliss, Wiley & Sons, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use page top links to major topics or use links at the left of each page to navigate within topics and documents at this website. Green links show where you are in a document series or at this website. Quick & Simple Guide to Lead Exposure Hazards IndoorsAs reported in Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction: Lead: the No. 1 Environmental Threat to Children: In 1991, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human services called lead “the number-one environmental threat to the health of children in the United States.” The leading source of lead exposure today is old lead-based paint in homes built before 1960, although homes built until 1978 may also contain lead paint. Other sources include contaminated soil and drinking water that runs through old lead piping. Hobby activities, such as soldering and stained- glass making, can also introduce lead into the home. Where two painted surfaces abrade, such as door and window frames, lead dust can be released and later ingested by children. High-level exposures leading to acute illness can be created when lead-based paint is removed by sanding, scraping, or open-flame burning. The soil around old houses can also contain high levels of lead from paint scrapings over the years, and the soil around highways can have high levels from leaded gasoline. Playing in contaminated soil can be a threat to children, and contaminated soil can also be tracked into homes, contributing significantly to indoor levels. Health Effects of Lead Exposure
Lead affects most systems of the body. Even at low levels, harm to fetuses and young children can be significant. Blood lead levels as low as 10 micrograms per deciliter can impair mental and physical development, leading to lower IQ levels, shortened attention spans, and increased behavioral problems. Lead is more easily absorbed into the bodies of fetuses, infants, and children, and they are more sensitive to the damaging effects. Also, children often have higher exposures, since they are more likely to get lead dust on their hands and then put their fingers or other lead-contaminated objects into their mouths. Acute exposures to high levels of lead generated from remodeling activities can cause adverse health effects on the central nervous system, kidney, and blood cells. At very high levels (above 80 micrograms per deciliter of blood), lead can cause convulsions, coma, and even death. Guide to Reducing Exposure to Lead Hazards Indoors and in Drinking Water
Since lead paint is the leading cause of exposure, preventive measures focus on keeping paint in good condition and cleaning up any lead- containing dust before children are exposed. In older homes with lead paint, experts recommend mopping floors and wiping window ledges and other smooth flat areas with damp cloths frequently, keeping children away from areas where paint is chipped, peeling, or chalking and preventing children from chewing on window sills and other painted areas. Also, ensure that toys are cleaned frequently and hands are washed before meals. If the paint is in poor condition, it should be removed by a licensed lead- abatement professional. Recommendations include:
-- Adapted with permission from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction. Questions & Answers regarding this article. Ask a Question or Search InspectAPediaHTML Comment Box is loading comments...
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