Lead is a poisonous metal used as a paint ingredient worldwide. Before the 20th century, artists and builders preferred it because of its thickness and density. Plus, it dries quickly and creates a long-lasting finish.

The dangers of lead have been known and documented since the 4th century BC. Reported effects included loss of use of limbs, colic, and anemia, among others. But, many people overlooked the risks then because of the benefits.

Precautions and legal bans on lead-based paint

Precautions were always present in the use of lead. In 1971, the banning of lead became a law in the US. This law prohibited the use of lead paint in residential or commercial buildings. Yet, it was limited to buildings constructed using federal funding or assistance. The total ban on lead-based paint was enacted in 1977. It now included banning lead paint in residential and public properties and on toys and furniture.

Use of lead paint was an accepted family practice in New York City before 1960. Thereafter, selling paint with high lead levels for residential use was prohibited and the state-wide ban was imposed in 1970. Banning by the federal government was in 1978.

Health risks from lead exposure

Lead exposure happens when a part of your body touches a product, surface, or soil that has lead and then the lead gets into your mouth. It may also be in anything you inhale, eat, or swallow, and it contains lead, such as water and food, that catches lead dust from paint peelings. 

Children are at a high exposure risk. They tend to put things in their mouths and nibble on window sills and door frames where there may be old coatings of lead-based paint. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, exposure to lead among children results in:

• Brain and nervous system damage
• Learning and behavior issues
• Speech and hearing problems
• Slow growth and development

Adults are also at risk when:

• Their homes have lead-based paints and are disturbed or damaged. Dust containing lead can be inhaled, ingested or swallowed.
• Workers and hobbyists can breathe in, swallow, or ingest lead dust or fumes when working with metal, paint, pigments or glazes with lead. 
• The water may be contaminated when drinking water passes through plumbing that contains lead.
• Getting in contact with soil with lead may occur while gardening, playing, and doing other similar activities.
• Using consumer products that contain lead.

An effective way to lower the chances of exposure to lead is to reduce lead-based paint hazards in the environment. Read on to learn about these hazards you need to watch out for.

Lead-based paint hazards you need to look out for

According to the New York City Department of Housing Preservation & Development (HPD), lead-based paint hazards include:

• Dust and peelings from disturbed or damaged lead-based paint
• Lead paint on:
• Rotted wood
• Crumbling plaster
• Doors and windows, in particular, those that are in contact with one another and are sticking or rubbing together.
• Surfaces such as window sills that have been chewed on or susceptible to chewing by children

New York City’s proactive efforts resulted in an improved reduction in childhood lead exposure. Children with elevated blood levels have progressively declined since the local laws’ implementation. The latest numbers recorded a 21% drop in 2019 compared to 2018 of children with blood lead levels of 5 mcg/dL.

Asthma is a long-term respiratory condition affecting many New York City residents. It is a lung disease that affects the airways of the lungs. The airways are where the air goes in and out when you breathe. Inhaling asthma triggers cause irritation and inflammation. It then narrows the airways and causes breathing difficulties.

Asthma is a manageable yet severe lung disease. One of the primary ways to manage asthma is to improve Indoor air quality (IAQ). IAQ is the quality of air inside structures. It refers to how the air relates to the health and comfort of those residing there.

Local Law 55 aims to improve indoor air quality by removing indoor allergen hazards in NYC residential properties.

Christmas Tree Syndrome is the allergic reactions of people exposed to indoor Christmas trees. The mold clinging to both live and artificial trees causes Christmas Tree Syndrome symptoms, including:

• Stuffy or runny nose
• Sneezing
• Itchy eyes, nose, and throat
• Difficulty in breathing and wheezing
• Nosebleeds
• Allergy symptoms
• Asthma symptoms

Do a thorough clean-up when you notice family members experiencing symptoms. Consult your health professional when symptoms persist. 

And familiarize yourself with mold in Christmas trees to efficiently wipe them out. Here’s how live trees and artificial ones bring mold to your home:

Did you find mold in your mattress? Or do you suspect its presence in your bed? Detecting its growth will save you from costly damage to your health and property.

The health concerns created by high mold levels lead to one goal: To have a healthy indoor environment. All these health symptoms disappear when mold colonies are successfully removed and mitigated.

And that’s the good news. It is important then to know where these mold grow and how to deal with them as soon as possible!

Mold is a multicellular fungi that forms a big part of life on earth. We cannot live without it. It thrives in the dampest parts of the house, hiding in cracks where moisture is ample enough. We need mold to make our food taste better, and we need it to create medicine. 

Mold help sustain the cycle of life on earth. Without this fungi, no one will break down organic matter into nutrients the earth can reuse.

Strictly speaking, we live in a world run by mold. For sure, mold is not in control of everything that happens around us. But it was made to keep the natural cycle of life up and running. Mold will grow on any given surface. It will break down all forms of organic matter. Although it will not get any nutrients from inorganic materials like plastic, glass, and metal, it can colonize these surfaces. Mold growth makes it possible for bacteria, dirt, and other corrosive elements to perform their destructive power. 

This does not mean mold is bad. We may not like it, but mold keeps us alive and healthy. We need mold to create fermented food and drink, like cheese, alcohol, condiments, and coffee. At the same time, we need mold to create medicine and antibiotics. We also need mold to break down decaying matter around us so its organic nutrients would replenish the earth again. In other words, mold sustains life on earth.

No homeowner will like this but mold is everywhere. It’s almost like an immortal organism. It spreads spores through the air and it can hide its roots in porous subsurface layers that you cannot reach. Even with professional treatment, mold can return and grow again.

You cannot prevent mold from infecting your house. But you can deal with mold better when you know its behavior from spring to winter season.

This myth suggests that everything about mold is bad. While it is true that mold has harmful effects on health, it is untrue to say that mold has no benefits whatsoever. There are more than 100,000 species of mold known to humankind. Less than 500 of these species can cause diseases and allergies. But there are species that are very important for life on earth.

We can’t live without molds. These organisms are good. They are critical for the cycle of life on this planet. Molds are multicellurar fungi that break down anything organic into nutrients the earth can use again. It grows on food that’s already spoiled to help it decompose. There are other beneficial uses of mold. A certain type of mold, the penicillium mold, is grown in laboratories for penicillin to make antibiotics. Some varieties of mold are also used to create products like cheese, cured meat, soy sauce, and other fermented food.