Older houses were often better built to last longer than contemporary houses. They had class and charm, and also often something not as nice, lead. Outlawed years ago when this health menace was first discovered, lead is found throughout many older homes. Wall paint and pipe solder are probably the most prevalent sources. While experts generally concur that lead is potentially harmful, there is little consensus on how much lead is harmful.
Children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of lead contamination.
For good reason, federal health officials recently reminded owners of older homes to ensure that their children are kept away from home improvement projects involving paint scraping or sanding. A recent New York state study of children living in homes where there had been recent removals of lead containing paint revealed that nearly ten percent had dangerously high levels of lead in their blood. Ingestion and inhalation pose an ongoing threat to children in houses with lead containing paint. Parents need not just be concerned during renovation projects, either. Small children haven been known to eat paint chips and to even bite contaminated window sills.