Lead in Homes and Water, Explained Without the Jargon

No safe blood lead level has been identified in children, and even low levels are linked to effects on learning, attention and behavior that cannot be fully reversed.

Key takeaways

• Homes most likely to have lead paint: built before 1978
• Safe blood lead level in children: none has been identified
• Most useful single change: Ask your child's doctor about a blood lead test, especially around ages 1 and 2 or if you live in an older home.
• Commonest mistake: Dry sanding or scraping old paint.
• See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.

The short answer

Exposure to lead from old paint, dust, soil, plumbing and some imported products.

Where it fits

This is part of Environmental Health. Guidance sets out what to look for and what to do about it, which is what the rest of this page covers.

The numbers, in one place

What that means in practice

Put another way, here is what it asks of you:

• Ask your child's doctor about a blood lead test, especially around ages 1 and 2 or if you live in an older home
• Wet-mop floors and wet-wipe windowsills regularly, and wash children's hands and toys often
• Hire a lead-safe certified contractor for renovations in homes built before 1978
• Ask your water utility whether you have a lead service line, and run the tap before using water that has sat for hours
• Leave shoes at the door to keep soil and dust out

What gets people into trouble

And the things that tend to go wrong:

• Dry sanding or scraping old paint
• Using hot tap water for drinking, cooking or mixing baby formula
• Imported spices, cosmetics, folk remedies or ceramic dishes that may contain lead

Related topics

• The Evidence on Occupational Asthma, Without the Hype (Workplace Health)
• What the Guidance Really Says About Flood Water Safety (Heat, Cold and Weather Safety)
• What the Guidance Really Says About House Dust Mite (Allergies)
• The Evidence on Infection Prevention at Home, Without the Hype (Immunity)

Where to go next

• Popular Beliefs About Lead in Homes and Water, and What Is Actually Published
• Lead in Homes and Water for Beginners: Where to Start
• Lead in Homes and Water — the reference entry
• Environmental Health: The Complete Guide
• Radon Testing: What Published Guidance Supports
• What the Guidance Really Says About Mold at Home

When to speak to a doctor

See your doctor about blood lead testing if a child may have been exposed, or if anyone in the home works with lead in construction, battery recycling or at firing ranges. Call 911 for seizures, severe vomiting or a child who is very sleepy or hard to wake, and call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 if a child swallows paint chips or a lead object.

Where this comes from

• CDC — Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention
• EPA — Protect Your Family from Sources of Lead
• EPA — Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water

How this page was put together

Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarized or generalized beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.

Medical disclaimer

This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to your doctor, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 911.