When dealing with Old, Lead-Based Paint

Federal law has put into effect the following provisions:

Sellers have to disclose known information on lead-based paint hazards before sales are final. Contracts must include a federal form about old, lead-based paint. Sellers must also give buyers the government brochure, Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home. Buyers have up to 10 days to conduct a lead-based paint inspection or risk assessment at their own expense. Test for Lead If you have young children, are pregnant, or plan to become pregnant, have a thorough lead risk assessment done by a professional contractor who does not also do abatement work to avoid a conflict of interest. Assessment will typically involve a range of methods, including:

• visual inspection of paint condition and location;
• lab tests of paint samples;
• and surface dust tests.

If you're planning to remodel by tearing down any walls that could raise dangerous lead dust, consider x-ray fluorescence (XRF), which peers through layers of paint to detect lead.

If You Find Lead... A recent EPA/Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Task Force report confirmed that old, lead-based paint that is well maintained does not present a hazard and is best left undisturbed. If the old, lead-based paint is in poor condition -- peeling, chipping, cracking or flaking -- or if you plan to conduct any repairs or renovations, the lead can become a hazard, as it can create dust, which is the major pathway for exposure to lead. Lead dust can form when old, lead-based paint is dry scraped, dry sanded, or heated. Dust also forms when painted surfaces bump or rub together.

Lead dust can get on surfaces and objects that people touch. Settled lead dust can re-enter the air when people vacuum, sweep, or walk through it. Dealing with Lead-Based Paint Don't ever try to remove old, lead-based paint by yourself. It is absolutely essential that a professional contractor trained in proper handling and removal of lead-based paint performs the job.

Untrained, unskilled contractors or amateur do-it-yourself efforts can greatly increase risk by creating lead dust and releasing it into the air, and creating new lead contamination sites.

When Renovating:

• During renovation involving construction or lead removal, your family (especially children and pregnant women) should be temporarily moved out of the home until the work is done and the area is properly cleaned.
• If you have already completed renovations that could have released lead-based paint or dust, get your young children tested and check the house after all the work is done.

Encapsulation: One promising and increasingly popular permanent lead abatement technique is a new technology to encapsulate old, lead-based paint in housing. Encapsulation is particularly encouraging as a more practical and cost-effective alternative to full removal of the paint.

Removal: Removal of lead-based paint remains a very expensive option and should take place only when the old, lead-based paint has significantly deteriorated, or if earlier renovations have left lead-contaminated dust in the home. Just remember not disclosing lead based paint can cost you $$,$$$