Stop lead poisoning before it starts

Lead has no smell, no taste and usually no symptoms. Find it in your home, your water and your family’s blood before it does lasting harm.

Check your home’s risk
How to test for lead poisoning

Why lead poisoning matters

Lead poisoning is one of the most common environmental threats to children’s health, and it is completely preventable. The problem is that you usually can’t see it coming: the lead is in old paint, dust, pipes and products, and most poisoned children look and act fine at first.

3.5 milliondeaths worldwide were linked to lead exposure in 2023, mostly from heart and blood vessel disease.Source: WHO (IHME estimate)
No safe levelNo safe blood lead level in children has been identified. Even low levels are linked to learning and behavior problems.Source: CDC
No symptomsMost children with lead in their blood have no obvious symptoms. A blood lead test is the only way to know.Source: CDC
3 in 4US homes built before 1978 still contain some lead-based paint, and about 4 million lead water pipes remain in use.Source: EPA

What lead does to the body

Children

  • Damage to the brain and nervous system
  • Slowed growth and development
  • Learning, behavior, hearing and speech problems
  • Lower IQ and attention, struggles in school

The effects can be permanent. Children under 6 are most at risk because they put hands and toys in their mouths. Source: CDC.

Adults and pregnancy

  • Higher blood pressure and heart disease, the main cause of lead-related deaths worldwide
  • Kidney damage and fertility problems
  • Lead stored in bones is released during pregnancy and can reach the baby
  • Very high levels can cause seizures, coma and death

Sources: WHO, NIEHS. Effects of lead poisoning · Symptoms

Find it before it finds your family

Check your riskAnswer a few questions about your home’s age, paint, pipes and family. Free, 2 minutes.Home Lead Risk Checker Test your homePaint, water, dust, soil, dishes and toys: find the right test kit, lab or inspector.What test do I need? Test your familyA simple blood lead test from a doctor or health department shows whether lead is in the body.How to test for lead poisoning Fix it safelyCertified professionals, filters and grants to remove the lead for good.Find help

What do you want to test?

Gloved hand testing old door trim paint with a lead test swab

Paint

Old walls, windows, doors and trim: swab kits, lab paint chips and certified inspections.

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A woman filling a sample bottle at a kitchen tap

Water

Tap and well water: first-draw sampling, certified labs, lead pipes and filters.

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Ceramic dishes, a spice jar and a toy laid out for lead checking

Household items

Dishes, pottery, spices, toys, jewelry and tumblers: recalls and what testing can tell you.

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A man collecting a soil sample from a garden bed

Dust & soil

Floors, window sills, yards and gardens: dust wipes, soil samples and hazard levels.

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Compare your testing options

Home screening kitsQuick yes-or-no checks for paint and water. Good for a first look, not a final answer.Laboratory testingMail-in samples analyzed by an accredited lab. The numbers you can act on.Professional inspectionA certified inspector or risk assessor tests the whole home and writes a report.Certified water filtersFilters certified to NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 for lead reduction while you sort out the source.

Find local help

Certified lead inspectors, risk assessors, lead-safe renovation firms, abatement contractors and accredited labs. Tell us what you need and where, and we’ll point you to qualified help near you.

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Featured guides

Worried about lead poisoning?

A blood test is the only way to know if someone has been exposed to lead. Talk to your doctor or your local health department. For an urgent question, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Our health guides explain what the CDC and other official sources say.

Lead poisoning: what to know

Are you a lab or lead professional?

Inspectors, risk assessors, renovation and abatement firms, accredited laboratories and test-kit makers: list your business so people can find you when they need help.

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