Warning! This house could be hazardous to your health!

You'd be hard pressed to sell a home with such a label attached to it. And yet, many older homes in the United States might qualify. Prior to 1978, paints and other products containing lead were widely used in homes and offices. Chipping and pealing paint can expose occupants to this hazardous material. Since 1978, residential paints containing more than 0.06 percent lead are no longer sold in the U.S., but some older homes still have lead paint in them.  Another major source of lead can be vinyl miniblinds. Other sources include some toys and jewelry, cosmetics, folk medicines and even lead-glazed ceramic ware, pottery and leaded crystal that can contaminate food and liquids stored in them.

Dust can become contaminated with lead when lead-based paints breakdown over time. Unfortunately, once lead contaminates soil or dust, it stays there until it is removed. Children are exposed to these sources of lead more often than adults because any dust or soil that is contaminated with lead settles on surfaces such as windowsills and floors. This can then get onto the hands or toys of children as they play. Young children commonly put their hands and toys into their mouths, and they swallow the dust or soil. Vinyl miniblinds break down due to sunlight and heat and can release lead-contaminated dust. Children who touch the miniblinds and put their fingers into their mouths may ingest the lead-contaminated dust. Children who teethe on vinyl minblinds may be exposed as well.

In addition, drinking water can become contaminated with lead when lead in older faucets, pipes or pipe soldering leaches into water (especially when running hot water) that flows through the pipes.  Even though the use of lead in pipes, solder and other components used in public water systems and residential and nonresidential plumbing has been restricted by national laws since 1986, lead may still be found in pipes today.

Unknown in years past, it is now clear that lead causes a number of health-related problems. In children this can include growth and learning disabilities, headaches and even brain damage. Adults are not immune either. High levels of lead have been tied to problem pregnancies, high-blood pressure and digestive problems.

Before you buy or sell an older home, you need to know what hazards may exist. If selling, federal law stipulates that you must disclose any lead-based paint in the home. If youre buying, you want to know what hazards may be lurking in the walls, as well as in the pipes, before you put up your earnest money. If you suspect that a house contains high levels of lead, you should contact a qualified professional to do an inspection. These tradesmen use a range of tools from the well-trained eye to complex, specialized equipment to detect lead levels and recommend appropriate solutions. The National Lead Information Center (http://www.epa.gov/lead/nlic.htm) can help you find a resource.

Many solutions exist for cleaning up lead concentrations. Depending upon your situation, you may find one of these an adequate solution.  Removing lead-based paint, for example, may be as much trouble as it is worth.  First, just the act of stripping the paint from the walls is likely to create dust and debris which is more likely to be ingested. Given these hazards, you should consult a certified contractor to complete this kind of work.  Short of removing the paint, you may be able to get by with covering the old, lead-based paint with a coat of sealant specifically designed for this purpose. Once again, a certified contractor will be able to recommend an appropriate solution.  Financial assistance is even available in certain circumstances.

So even though a house may not carry a warning label from the EPA, a little common sense and a sharp eye should keep your family safe.