Lead Highlights for home Buyers
- dustin charlton
- Dec 2, 2023
- 2 min read
To help Organize your need to know when you Buy your next dream Home
First Is your Home Pre-1978 ??? If not you likely dont need to bother with reading on. "Disclaimer DONT BE SUPRISED IF YOUR HOME BUILT 3 YEARS AFTER IN 1981 HAS LEAD PAINT "
Contractors stocked up in 1978 because lead paint lasted longer and was more vibrant for some colors.
1978 -1960: Get a lead inspection Have a 1/4 chance of not having lead
1959-1940: 70% chance of having lead Would see if you can have lead inspection combined with risk assessment on the small chance your lucky to not have it
1940-older: 90% Go with risk assessment as you likely have lead and simply need to know how to safely have it in the house or what steps to take to remove it.
CDC: "Approximately 29 million housing units have lead-based paint hazards including deteriorated paint and lead-contaminated house dust. About 2.6 million of these are home to young children." https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/prevention/sources/paint.htm
Link To epa Pamphlet On Lead
Renovation:
Federal law requires contractors that disturb painted surfaces
in homes, childcare facilities, and schools built before 1978 to
be certified and follow specific work practices to prevent lead
contamination.
Important Points:
Dust is the main problem.
The most common way to get lead in the body is from dust. Lead dust comes from
deteriorating lead-based paint and lead-contaminated soil that gets tracked into
your home. This dust may accumulate to unsafe levels. Then, normal hand-to-mouth
activities, like playing and eating (especially in young children), move that dust from
surfaces like floors and window sills into the body.
Contractors are not required by EPA to conduct lead-dust testing.
They use a subjective wipe test instead Called an Epa cleaning verification card
If you decide that you want lead-dust testing, it is a good idea to specify in your
contract, before the start of the job, that a lead-dust test is to be done for your job
and who will do the testing, as well as whether re-cleaning will be required based on
the results of the test.
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