Paint can wear down over time, especially because of various kinds of friction or rubbing. For example, lead paint on doors, windows, stairways or cabinets could easily wear down and begin to peel away. When peeling happens, lead dust could be released into the air.
While many types of paint may chip or peel, it is much more common with lead-based paint. Lead paint often undergoes a process called “alligatoring,” which happens when the paint wrinkles, cracks and starts to look scaly. This is a common sign that the paint contains lead.
Another sign of lead paint is if the paint becomes chalky when it gets rubbed off a surface. However, you should not scrape or rub lead paint as this could release dust that you could breathe in. There is no safe level of exposure to lead, and the health consequences from lead exposure can be severe.
It is also important to note that lead dust could be present even if you have not seen paint peeling or chipping away. If the paint gets disturbed, lead dust could have been released into the air.