Testing for lead in your home
Sources of lead can include paint (including chips and dust), water contaminated by lead-coated pipes, soil contaminated with paint dust or chips, antique toys, hazardous jobs, materials used in ceramics and jewelry-making, and health tonics or cosmetics imported from countries outside the U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides a comprehensive description of items that can potentially be contaminated with lead, and the Milwaukee Health Department has a brief overview of potential lead sources in the home.
Homes built before 1970 have the highest risk of lead-based paint and lead-contaminated soil; you can search the city of Milwaukee s assessment records to see when your residence was built.