Lead exposure from a contaminated home can have serious health effects on children. Even low levels of lead can be harmful in young children. It’s estimated that lead paint caused about $9 billion in health care costs and lost productivity in the United States between 1992 and 2011. That’s why it’s so important to keep children safe from lead at home. If you’re renting a home and have young kids, it’s important to know if there is lead in the paint before you move in. Reducing lead exposure at home starts with knowing what to look for and how to prevent it from entering your home in the first place. Here are some tips for staying lead-free in the home:
The best way to find out if there is any lead in the paint at your prospective home is to have a paint inspection before you move in. If you’re renting, you may not have this option. If so, you can still do your own research before signing a lease. You can visit the Environmental Protection Agency’s Lead Paint Disclosure Program website to find out if there is a lead paint disclosure form for the state where the home is located. If so, you can fill out the form and submit it to the property owner. If the home is privately owned, you can also ask the owner for a copy of the paint test report.
If there is lead in the home, you may be able to get a court order to change the locks. This is especially important if there are young children in the home. You should also change the locks if there has been a history of lead paint violations. If a home has lead paint, it can be especially dangerous to young children. Lead paint is extremely toxic and can cause serious long-term health problems. If you’re renting, it’s essential to keep the rental contract in a safe place. This way, you can easily access it if there is a lead paint inspection. If the home has been subject to a lead paint inspection, you should also inform the landlord in writing and keep a copy of the report.
If there is lead in the soil, you can reduce your exposure by changing the soil before planting. You can reduce the amount of lead in the soil by mixing compost with it. The compost will help the soil retain moisture while also adding nutrients. You can also cover the soil with mulch. Mulch can help keep the soil cool and moist. This will help the soil retain nutrients and reduce the amount of lead in the soil.
Washing your hands before cooking or drinking can help reduce your exposure to lead. Lead is found in water and food residues, so it’s important to clean your hands before preparing food or drinks. You can also wash your hands after gardening or working with lead-based paint. Lead is a poison that can be absorbed through the skin. If you have young children, you should wash your hands frequently and avoid hand-to-mouth contact. This can help reduce lead exposure.
Lead can also be found in dust, so it’s important to keep the home clean and dry. You should also avoid eating or breathing in dust from lead-based paint. This can help reduce lead exposure. You can also use a damp mop to reduce the amount of dust in the home. You can also seal small cracks in the home with a product like Caulk. This can help reduce the amount of lead in the air. You can also reduce the amount of lead in the air by using an air purifier. Air purifiers can also be helpful in reducing the amount of dust in the home.
If you’re renting and the water pipes in your home are lead, you can reduce your exposure by replacing them. You can also install a water filter to reduce lead levels in tap water. You can reduce your exposure to lead in drinking water by using a filter. You can also install a water filter in your fridge to reduce the amount of lead that enters your home.
Lead exposure can cause serious health problems in young children. It’s important to keep children safe from lead at home. There are many ways to reduce lead exposure at home, including checking the paint before you move in, changing the locks if there’s a history of lead violations, changing the garden before planting, washing your hands before cooking or drinking, keeping the home clean and dry, installing new water pipes, and using a water filter.
Sometimes, all it needs for a place to become unhealthy are contaminants, molds, dust, unclean air, and pests. Without the sense of cleanliness, diseases thrive inside your home creating an unhealthy environment where kids and adults contract diseases, in turn, spreading the same in the neighborhood; while affecting the rest of the community’s physical and emotional state.
To achieve a healthy living space, one must develop the need to keep their home clean and organized. Start with common places at home like the kitchen, comfort room, living room, entertainment room, and dining room. Also, consider cleaning your private spaces regularly. These are your rooms, the house library, and the nursery among others. Remember that a healthy living space is not just about what you can see, it is also what you can smell and feel that makes it healthy.
Ever felt the need to sneeze more often? Have you seen pests and insects more regularly lately? For sure, one or two people inside the household have been sick from these. If you do, then you might be in an unhealthy home. Consider keeping a close look at common triggers for asthma and the like and you will see for yourself the need to turn your homes into a more comforting place to stay.