LEAD PAINT INSPECTION:

Lead was used in paint until the late seventies. You could still buy lead-based primers into the mid seventies. Most homes in the New York and Long Island area were built prior to 1980; there is a good chance of having lead paint in them. Lead paint is only dangerous when it is ingested, as in eating lead paint chips or breathed in from construction dust. Most lead paint in a home by now has been covered over by several layers of newer paint and is no longer considered hazardous.

If you have an older home, the following can minimize lead contamination.

• If you have peeling paint, steps should be taken to remove all the loose paint and the painted surfaced primed and repainted to seal in any potential lead dust.

• Keep children away from any construction activity that has the potential to disturb painted surfaces.

• The area should be sealed off from the rest of the home when possible.

• Always use the appropriate dust filter to avoid breathing in lead dust.

• When dust making activities are completed, make sure the area is thoroughly cleaned to prevent possible cross contamination.

For more information about lead paint in homes, contact the EPA at http://www.epa.gov/lead/