Hosting for the Holidays? A Homeowner’s Guide to Lead Safety
The holidays are for family, food, and festive gatherings. But if your home was built before 1978, hosting visiting family—especially small children—could come with a hidden risk. Here’s our expert guide to ensuring peace of mind this holiday season.
- Envirogyn Team
The holiday season is one of the best times of the year, bringing loved ones together under one roof. For owners of older homes, it's also a time of high traffic, with visiting family, rambunctious kids, and lots of activity.
If your home was built before 1978, there is a high probability that lead-based paint is present on your walls, doors, and window sills. For most adults, this isn't an immediate issue. But for young children (under age 6), whose bodies are still developing, lead exposure can cause serious, long-term health problems.
Lead dust, the primary source of poisoning, is invisible to the naked eye and is often created from the simple friction of opening a window or door.
Before your guests arrive, here are five key things every host should know and do to ensure a lead-safe holiday gathering.
A warm, festive room with a child's hand near an old, painted window sill.
1. Know Your Home's History
The first step is simple: know your home's age. The U.S. government banned the use of lead-based paint in housing in 1978.
If your home was built after 1978: Your risk is very low.
If your home was built before 1978: You should assume lead-based paint is present and take precautions. The older the home, the higher the risk.
2. Identify High-Friction "Hotspots"
Lead poisoning doesn't come from a child licking a perfectly intact painted wall. It comes from ingesting or inhaling microscopic dust created when painted surfaces rub together.
Before guests arrive, inspect these high-friction "hotspots":
Windows: Opening and closing sashes grinds paint into dust.
Doors: The edges of doors and their frames.
Baseboards: Often bumped by vacuums, toys, and furniture.
Porches: Exterior porch floors and railings often have peeling paint.
3. Look for the Visual Signs of a Hazard
A Lead Inspection identifies if lead paint is present. A Lead Risk Assessment identifies if that paint is a hazard. A hazard exists when the paint is no longer intact.
Walk through your home and look for:
Peeling or "Alligatoring" Paint: Paint that is flaking or has a scaly, cracked appearance.
Chipping Paint: Any area where paint is actively chipping off, especially on window sills or baseboards.
Paint Dust: A fine, chalky powder on surfaces near windows or doors. This is a major red flag.
4. Take Smart, Holiday-Specific Precautions
You can significantly reduce risk with a few temporary, holiday-focused actions.
Clean, Don't Sweep: Do not dry-sweep or use a standard vacuum on areas with peeling paint. This will spread invisible lead dust into the air. Instead, clean floors and window sills with a wet mop or wet, disposable cloths.
Create Safe Play Zones: If you have peeling paint on a specific window sill, move furniture in front of it to block access. Set up play areas (like a play mat) in the center of a room, away from walls and baseboards.
Wash Hands & Toys: This is the most effective step. Encourage frequent hand washing for children, especially before eating and sleeping. If toys drop onto the floor in high-risk areas, wipe them down.
Place Your Tree & Decorations Smartly: Avoid placing your Christmas tree or other holiday decorations in a way that will rub against or disturb a wall or window with peeling paint.
5. When to Call a Professional
Temporary cleaning can manage risk, but only a professional service can give you definitive answers and a long-term solution.
Get a Lead Inspection: If you simply want to know "yes" or "no" if lead paint is present before a renovation, a Lead Inspection is the right choice. Our certified inspectors use XRF technology to get instant, on-site results.
Get a Lead Risk Assessment: If you are worried about your family's current exposure, a Lead Risk Assessment is what you need. This is a more in-depth service where we identify hazards. We test the condition of the paint and, most importantly, collect dust and soil samples to see if lead has already contaminated your living space.
This holiday season, give yourself the gift of peace of mind. Knowing the facts about lead safety is the first step to protecting your loved ones, so you can focus on what truly matters.
Ready to get definitive answers? Learn more about our certified Lead Inspection and Lead Risk Assessment services.
