If your home was built before 1978, it is important to know how to identify lead paint. Exposure to lead paint by ingesting or inhaling can have serious health implications, particularly for children and developing fetuses. I have had lead paint identified and removed in several homes I have lived in or rented to ensure the health and safety of my family and tenants. Here to help you learn how to identify lead paint and what to do if you find it are Bill Carroll, Ph.D. from Indiana University and Shayne Pancione from Pancione Painting Plus.

About the Experts

Bill Carroll, Ph.D. is an adjunct professor of chemistry at Indiana University. The former vice president of industry issues for Occidental Chemical Corporation, he’s currently principal of Carroll Applied Science in Dallas, Texas.

Shayne Pancione is the owner of Pancione Painting Plus in Easthampton, Massachusetts. He is a certified Lead-Safe Renovator with over 30 years of experience in the painting industry.

What Is Lead Paint?

Lead paint is paint formulated with lead-based pigments or additives. A naturally-occurring element, lead was found to increase the washability, durability and strength of paint. With those additive qualities, it quickly became a popular ingredient in manufactured paint.

Lead paint has been used in the United States since Colonial times, but its dangers were not fully understood until the twentieth century. The use, sale and manufacturing of lead paint was federally banned in the U.S. in 1978.