Hundreds, if not thousands, of older homes damaged in Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Ike, are waiting to be rebuilt. Rising energy costs, the focus on reducing carbon emissions, and the green movement are driving energy-efficient building practices. This has put insulation, air sealing and weatherization high on the safer, stronger, smarter rebuilding list of desirable features.

Lead is a naturally occurring blueish-gray metal. It is very abundant and mined in numerous counties around the world including the United States. The problem with lead is it is toxic. The human body has no use for lead, so even small amounts can be toxic. The most notable health effect of lead is in the mental development of young children.