Got Lead? Here's what you need to know!


Got Lead? Here's what you need to know!
By Scott Rogers • December 19, 2008
If you're buying a home built before 1978, you must know that your new home may very well have paint that contains lead (lead-based paint). This type of paint can be hazardous to your health -- especially if paint chips are ingested, or if dust from lead-based paint is breathed. Lead-based paint is more dangerous for children than adults because they are more likely to put their hands in their mouths, their bodies absorb more lead, and because their brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead. So, what's a buyer to do? I have worked with buyer clients who decided not to buy a home built before 1978 because they didn't want to live with the possibility that lead might exist in the paint. If you see this issue in that way, it's probably not worthwhile to even go look at potential homes if they are built prior to 1978. Other clients that I have worked with are comfortable buying a home built before 1978, but thoroughly educate themselves on the risks and the precautions they should take. The principal fact to remember is that if you are engaging in renovations or remodeling that will disturb the paint (chipping, scraping, sanding), then you need to take precautions to protect yourself and your family. But what about the contract? An astute home buyer will realize that the sales contract allows them to test for lead. I haven't had a buyer engage in this testing, so I'm not too familiar with the process, but if you're buying a 1950's home, it wouldn't seem to me that you'd need to do testing to determine whether lead-based paint was present in the home. Additional Resources Here are some additional resources from the EPA that may be helpful for you. Lead in Your Home: A Parent's Reference Guide Testing Your Home for Lead in Paint, Dust, and Soil Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home The Lead-Based Paint Pre-Renovation Education Rule: A Handbook for Contractors, Property Mangers, and Maintenance Personnel Lead Paint Safety: A Field Guide for Painting, Home Maintenance, and Renovation Work Receive Updates by Email Recent Articles: There Are Plenty Of Types Of Houses That Exist That Just Are Not Available To Purchase Home Sales By Price Range In The City Of Harrisonburg Are You Compromising On Aspects Of Your Next Home That You Can Or Cannot Change Later? How Much Slower Are The Winter Months In Our Local Housing Market? Rockingham County and New Home Sales Drive Surge in Area Housing Market Find The Balance Between Optimistic And Realistic Home Pricing Room Size Is Difficult To Understand Solely From Real Estate Photos How Much Would You Value Not Having To Prepare Your Home For Showings? One Out Of Four Homes Is Taking Longer Than A Month To Sell Consider The Cost Of Your Planned Renovations When Planning Your Offer
Have any questions? Contact Scott Rogers at 540-578-0102 or scott@funkhousergroup.com
Based on information from the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Association of REALTORS® or its MLS, for the period Jan 1, 2000 through Nov 21, 2024 (unless otherwise noted).
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