Protect your Family from Lead in Your Home
distributed by EPA, CPSC and HUD
Beginning in 1996, Real Estate professionals are required to provide a copy of the EPA’s Lead Based Paint pamphlet (or an approved state version) to buyers and lessees in connection with the sale or rental of pre-1978 dwelling units. For transactions involving owners of more than four residential dwellings, the distribution date begins September 6, 1996. For transactions involving four or fewer residential dwellings, this date is December 6, 1996.
This Site includes the entire text of the EPA’s pamphlet. Although the pamphlet itself is not copyrighted, this Web site is. We make no representation that supplying the contents of this site to buyers or lesees will satisfy the requirements of the law. We supply this information for its informational value only.
For more information, contact any of the licensed Real Estate Professionals including those in our professional directories.
- OIP Real Estate Agents
- visit the HUD/EPA Web site.
- visit the National Safety Council Web site.
Information contained in this booklet is based upon current scientific and technical understanding of the issues presented and is reflective of the jurisdictional boundaries established by the statutes governing the co-authoring agencies. Following the advice given will not necessarily provide complete protection in all situations or against all health hazards that can be caused by lead exposure.
Topics
Are you Planning to Buy, Rent or Renovate a Home built before 1978?
Lead from Paint, Dust, and Soil can be Dangerous is Not Managed Properly
Lead Gets in the Body in Many Ways
Check your Family for Lead
Where Lead Based Paint is Found
Where Lead is Likely to be a Hazard
Checking your Home for Lead Hazards
What YOU can do NOW to Protect your Family
How to Significantly Reduce Lead Hazards
Remodeling or Renovating a Home with Lead-Based Paint
Other Sources of Lead
For More Information…
State Health and Environmental Agencies
Simple Steps to Protect your Family from Lead Hazards
Are you Planning to Buy, Rent or Renovate a Home built before 1978?
- Landlords will have to disclose known information on lead-based paint hazards before leases take effect. Leases will include a federal form about lead-based paint.
- Sellers will have to disclose known information on lead-based paint hazards before selling a house. Sales contracts will include a federal form about lead-based paint in the building. Buyers will have up to 10 days to check for lead hazards.
- Renovators will have to give you this pamphlet before starting work.
Lead from Paint, Dust, and Soil can be Dangerous is Not Managed Properly
Lead from Paint, Dust, and Soil Can be Dangerous if Not Managed Properly
- Fact: Lead exposure can harm young children and babies even before they are born.
- Fact: Even children who seem healthy can have high levels of lead in their bodies.
- Fact: People can get lead in their bodies by breathing or swallowing lead dust, or by eating soil or paint chips with lead in them.
- Fact: People have many options for reducing lead hazards. In most cases, lead-based paint that is in good condition is not a hazard.
- Fact: Removing lead-based paint improperly can increase the danger to your family.
Lead Gets in the Body in Many Ways
People can get lead in their body if they:
- Put their hands or other objects covererd with lead dust in their mouths
- Eat paint chips or soil that contains lead
- Breathe in lead dust (especially during renovations that disturb painted surfaces).
Lead is even more dangerous to children than adults because:
- Babies and young children often put their hands and other objects in their mouths. These objects can have lead dust on them.
- Children’s growing bodies absorb more lead
- Children’s brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead
- Damage to the brain and nervous system
- Behavior and learning problems (such as hyperactivity)
- Slowed growth
- Hearing problems
- Headaches
Lead is also harmful to adults. Adults can suffer from:
- Difficulties during pregnancy
- Other reproductive problems (in both men and women)
- High blood pressure
- Digestive problems
- Nerve disorders
- Memory and concentration problems
- Muscle and joint paint
Check your Family for Lead
Get your children tested if you think your home has high levels of lead.
A simple blood test can detect high levels of lead. Blood tests are important for:
- Children who are 6 months to 1 year old (6 months if you live in an older home with cracking or peeling paint)
- Family members that you think might have high levels of lead
Where Lead Based Paint is Found
In general, the older your home, the more likely it has lead-based paint.
- In homes in the city, country, or suburbs.
- In apartments, single-family homes, and both private and public housing.
- Inside and outside of the house.
- In soil around a home. (Soil can pick up lead from exterior paint, or other sources such as past use of leaded gas in cars.)
Where Lead is Likely to be a Hazard
Checking your Home for Lead Hazards
Just knowing that a home has lead-based paint may not tell you if there is a hazard.
You can get your home checked for lead hazards in one of two ways, or both:
- A paint inspection tells you the lead content of every painted surface in your home. It won’t tell you whether the paint is a hazard or how you should deal with it.
- A risk assessment tells you if there are any sources of serious lead exposure (such as peeling paint and lead dust). It also tells you what actions to take to address these hazards.
Trained professionals use a range of methods when checking your home, including:
- Visual inspection of paint condition and location
- Lab tests of paint samples
- Surface dust tests
- A portable x-ray fluorescence machine
What YOU can do NOW to Protect your Family
- If you rent, notify your landlord of peeling or chipping paint
- Clean up paint chips immediately
- Clean floors, window frames, window sills, and other surfaces weekly. Use a mop or sponge with warm water and a general all-purpose cleaner or a cleaner made specifically for lead. Remember: never mix ammonia and bleach products together since they can form a dangerous gas.
- Thoroughly rinse sponges and mop heads after cleaning dirty or dusty areas
- Wash children’s hands often, especially before they eat and before nap time and bed time
- Keep play areas clean. Wash bottles, pacifiers, toys, and stuffed animals regularly
- Keep children from chewing window sills or other painted surfaces
- Clean or remove shoes before entereing your home to avoid tracking in lead from soil
- Make sure children eat nutritious, low-fat meals high in iron and calcium, such as spinach and low-fat dairy products. Children with good diets absorb less lead.
How to Significantly Reduce Lead Hazards
In addition to day-to-day cleaning and good nutrition:
- You can temporarily reduce lead hazards by taking actions such as repairing damaged painted surfaces and planting grass to cover soil with high lead levels. These actions (called “interim controls”) are not permanent solutions and will need ongoing attention.
- To permanently remove lead hazards, you must hire a lead “abatement” contractor. Abatement (or permanent 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.
Remodeling or Renovating a Home with Lead-Based Paint
- Have the area tested for lead-based paint
- Do not use a dry scraper, belt-sander, propane torch, or heat gun to remove lead-based paint. These actions create large amounts of lead dust and fumes. Lead dust can remain in your home long after the work is done.
- Temporarily move your family (especially children and pregnant women) out of the apartment or house until the work is done and the area is properly cleaned. If you can’t move your family, at least completely seal off the work area.
- Follow other safety measures to reduce lead hazards. You can find out about other safety measures by calling 1-800-424-LEAD. Ask for the brochure “Reducing Lead Hazards When Remodeling Your Home.” This brochure explains what to do before, during, and after the renovations.
Other Sources of Lead
While paint, dust, and soil are the most common lead hazards, other lead sources also exist.
- Drinking water. Your home might have plumbing with lead or lead solder. Call your local health department or water supplier to find out about testing your water. You cannot see, smell, or taste lead, and boiling your water will not get rid of lead. If you think your plumbing might have lead in it:
- The job. If you work with lead, you could bring it home on your hands or clothes. Shower and change clothes before coming home. Launder your clothes separately from the rest of your family’s.
- Old painted toys and furniture.
- Food and liquids stored in lead crystal or lead-glazed pottery or porcelain.
- Lead smelters or other industries that release lead into the air.
- Hobbies that use lead, such as making pottery or stained glass, or refinishing furniture.
- Folk remedies that contain lead, such as “greta” and “azarcon” used to treat an upset stomach.
For More Information…
The National Lead Information Center
EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline
Call 1-800-426-4791 for information about lead in drinking water.
Consumer Product Safety Commission Hotline
State Health and Environmental Agencies
EPA Regional Offices
- Region 1 (Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont)
Regional Lead Contact
U.S.EPA Region 1
Suite 1100 (CPT)
One Congress Street
Boston,MA 02114-2023
1 (888)372-7341 - Region 2 (New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands)
Regional Lead Contact
U.S.EPA Region 2
2890 Woodbridge Avenue
Building 209,Mail Stop 225
Edison,NJ 08837-3679
(732)321-6671 - Region 3 (Delaware, Washington DC, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia)
Regional Lead Contact
U.S.EPA Region 3 (3WC33)
1650 Arch Street
Philadelphia,PA 19103
(215)814-5000 - Region 4 (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee)
Regional Lead Contact
U.S.EPA Region 4
61 Forsyth Street,SW
Atlanta,GA 30303
(404)562-8998 - Region 5 (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin)
Regional Lead Contact
U.S.EPA Region 5 (DT-8J)
77 West Jackson Boulevard
Chicago,IL 60604-3666
(312)886-6003 - Region 6 (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas)
Regional Lead Contact
U.S.EPA Region 6
1445 Ross Avenue,12th Floor
Dallas,TX 75202-2733
(214)665-7577 - Region 7 (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska)
Regional Lead Contact
U.S.EPA Region 7
(ARTD-RALI)
901 N.5th Street
Kansas City,KS 66101
(913)551-7020 - Region 8 (Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming)
Regional Lead Contact
U.S.EPA Region 8
999 18th Street,Suite 500
Denver,CO 80202-2466
(303)312-6021 - Region 9 (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada)
Regional Lead Contact
U.S.Region 9
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco,CA 94105
(415)947-4164 - Region 10 (Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Alaska)
Regional Lead Contact
U.S.EPA Region 10
Toxics Section WCM-128
1200 Sixth Avenue
Seattle,WA 98101-1128
(206)553-1985
CPSC Regional Offices
- Eastern Regional Center
Consumer Product Safety Commission
201 Varick Street,Room 903
New York,NY 10014
(212)620-4120 - Central Regional Center
Consumer Product Safety Commission
230 South Dearborn Street,Room 2944
Chicago,IL 60604
(312)353-8260 - Western Regional Center
Consumer Product Safety Commission
1301 Clay Street,Suite 610-N
Oakland,CA 94612
(510)637-4050
Simple Steps to Protect your Family from Lead Hazards
If you think your home has high levels of lead:
- Get your young children tested for lead, even if they seem healthy.
- Wash children’s hands, bottles, pacifiers, and toys often.
- Make sure children eat healthy, low-fat foods.
- Get your home checked for lead hazards.
- Regularly clean floors, window sills, and other surfaces.
- Wife soil off shoes before entering house.
- Talk to your landlord about fixing surfaces with peeling or chipping paint.
- Take precautions to avoid exposure to lead dust when remodeling or renovating (call 1-800-424-LEAD for guidelines).
- Don’t use a belt-sander, propane torch, dry scraper, or dry sandpaper on painted surfaces that may contain lead.
- Don’t try to remove lead-based paint yourself.