Renovating Safely With Young Children – Study Finds Lead Exposure Risk in Renovation
Are you considering adding on or updating that old bathroom or kitchen? As housing prices climbed, more and more families have turned to renovation instead of moving to increase their living quarters. Popular TV programs glorified the trend and contractors were kept busy round the clock.
I know, we were one such family!
Unfortunately, a new study, found fixing up ‘This Old House’ may increase exposure to lead in young children.
The study conducted by researchers at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center found that interior renovation of older housing is associated with a modest increase in children’s blood lead level (BLL) and associated long-term health risks.
If the house in question was built before 1978, before the federal ban on lead-based paint, tearing out walls and ceilings could expose children to lead hazards, the study concluded.
