Lead Paint - What's the Deal?

[tigerclaws]

While you are on the lead paint thing, also make sure that there are no "asbestos" in the old house. Much bigger problem to solve as we saw some houses that had asbestos exterior (shingles) and possibly insulation. Just an FYI.

[MikePRU]

Originally Posted by tikaram

Just wanted to chime in to Valerie's excellent answer. Keep in mind, that mainly painted parts of the house are concern for the lead. Our house was built in the 60s, and had original windows. When window people came in to replace, they had to have lead test on windows and frames (because working on the windows would release lead dust, if there's any lead). Since the windows were never painted (stained wood), there was no lead found. So while these windows were old, a PITA to operate, and leaked air etc, they were still safe in terms of lead.

I recently was at a home inspection where the buyer decided to test for lead paint. I was chatting a bit with the lead paint inspector and was told that some stains did contain lead, but lead was much more common in paint. Just because wood is stained does not necessarily mean it's lead free according to this inspector from Panther Lead Inspections.

[tikaram]

Originally Posted by MikePRU

Just because wood is stained does not necessarily mean it's lead free according to this inspector from Panther Lead Inspections.

I didn't imply that, I just described a situation I encountered when windows were professionally inspected for lead, and none was found, because they were never painted that was the explanation I received.

[Valerie C]

Wow, another old thread reactivated Things have changed since 2008, most notably the EPA's Lead Renovation, Repair, Paint law. This is federal, not state, and requires that contractors that work on homes build prior to 1978 are certified to do so following 'lead-safe practices'

EPA Requirements
Common renovation activities like sanding, cutting, and demolition can create hazardous lead dust and chips by disturbing lead-based paint, which can be harmful to adults and children.
To protect against this risk, on April 22, 2008, EPA issued the Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule. It requires that firms performing renovation, repair, and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in pre-1978 homes, child care facilities and schools be certified by EPA and that they use certified renovators who are trained by EPA-approved training providers to follow lead-safe work practices. Individuals can become certified renovators by taking an eight-hour training course from an EPA-approved training provider.

Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule | Lead in Paint, Dust, and Soil | US EPA

Note to kathio: you may want to test for lead paint on the registers, or perhaps you could just paint over the rust and old paint? Lead becomes a problem when it becomes airborne, so sometimes covering it is the best solution. The RRP law affects contractors, not homeowners (but following lead-safe practices is still a concern).