Lead In A Home…When To Be Concerned

​Are you in the process of buying an older property?  While an older home can be full of charm and character, it can also contain toxic substances which were used in construction materials years ago.  One such material is lead which was often used in paint and piping.  Although the dangers of lead have come to light in more recent years, what should you be concerned about when it comes to finding it in the home?
 
As we have mentioned, lead is often found in old paint which was used for both the interior as well as exterior of the home.  This becomes a problem when deteriorating paint starts to chip and even becomes dust.  If this happens on the exterior of the home, you will likely find lead in the surrounding soil.  Lead paint chips or paint dust can cover any surface of the interior of the home, making it especially hazardous.  We know lead is particularly dangerous for babies, young children and even unborn babies.  Because young children like to crawl and climb on everything, it is more likely that they will inhale lead paint dust or chips if they are found in the home.
 
It is also worthy to note that even if your home is new, you could still have lead in the home.  If you are someone who enjoys antique furniture you may well find that it contains lead paint.
 
As we stated earlier, lead can also be found in an old homes piping system which meaning that lead could be found in drinking water.
 
So, from this short review we can see that if you are about to buy an older home, you might want to make sure that lead does not pose a health risk for you and your household.

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