By MATT MAURY

Recently, there has been extensive news coverage about arsenic in drinking water. Before that it was about lead in paint. And before that it was about asbestos in household products and insulation. In each instance, the headlines have raised health concerns about the environments in our homes.

These articles have caused many homeowners of older homes to start wondering about the history of the products used in their houses. A home's history may be the wrong focus, though. Rather, a focus on the history of the use of lead and asbestos in household products will be more helpful in determining if any preventative actions needs to be taken.

Lead-based paint:

Lead has historically been used as a pigment and drying agent in oil-based (alkyd) paints. In 1978, the federal government lowered the legal maximum of lead content in paint to a trace amount. Most homes built prior to 1980 are painted with lead-based paints, especially on woodwork and exterior surfaces.

Having lead-based paint inside or outside a house does not, by itself, constitute a health risk. The risk comes from inhaling or eating lead dust that is created by old paint chalking, chipping or peeling, especially during remodeling, sanding and repainting projects. If lead-based paint surfaces are not disturbed, there is little chance of lead dust becoming airborne and causing problems.

As a home is updated, the old paint can be removed or covered. Removal can be as simple as replacing an old, painted door. Or, it can require professional removal with chemicals and scrapers, and even heat-guns. The other alternative is to cover the paint. Interior paint can be covered with a sealant or with sheetrock. An exterior covering might be vinyl siding.

For homeowners desiring more information about lead-based paints, the Consumer Product Safety Commission's Web site is available at www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/5054.html.

Airborne asbestos:

The key word is "airborne," since in order for asbestos to be a health hazard, it must be released from the product into the air people breathe. Asbestos is the name for a group of minerals that separate into strong, very fine fibers. So fine, in fact, that a human hair is about 1,200 times thicker than a single fiber. Because these fibers are both heat-resistant and extremely durable, they have been used in constructing many of the products used in a home.

Until the late 1970s, asbestos was found in many appliances - from toasters to slow cookers, from dishwashers to hair dryers. It was also found in many construction materials found in homes. For instance, well over 90 percent of the "popcorn"-type ceilings installed prior to 1978 contain it. Other items include floor tiles, vinyl, insulation, wall finishes, pipe coverings, cement-tile siding and roofing, and even window putty.

Having asbestos-based products within a house does not, by itself, constitute a health threat. If the material does not show any evidence of flaking, chipping or brushing into the air, do nothing. If any of these are taking place, then the material can usually be encapsulated with a coating to hold it together or enclosed by placing a covering over it.

During times of remodeling, replumbing, installing new heating equipment, etc., when the materials are disturbed, the asbestos fibers could become airborne. Then, a health hazard might exist.

That is when a licensed professional will be needed to properly remove and dispose of the asbestos products.

For additional information about asbestos in your home, check out the Environmental Protection Agency Web site at www.epa.gov/opptintr/asbestos/ashome.htm. (