Lead paint in a rental (assessor, house, buyer)

[mamamea33]

We moved into a 1959 rental in November. We have two kids, ages 1 and 4. Our pediatrician mentioned lead paint as part of a routine checkup this week and suggested we check the condition of the paint throughout the house to be sure it isn't peeling or cracked. I ordered a home test kit (this one http://www.amazon.com/3M-LC-8S20C-Le...7614855&sr=8-1) on Amazon and tested around the house. The inside spots all tested fine but our screened-in porch tested positive for lead. It is an old, dusty area with severely disintegrating and cracked paint.

I called the County and they said we would need to hire a certified inspector. I have some questions:
1. Any recommendations on inspectors that don't also do remediation?
2. Any BTDT concerning a rental and lead paint? What are the chances of the landlord paying for the testing/remediation?
3. What would you do? If this porch is not remediated, would you move? My kids play out there often (well, they did), chalk drawings, painting, riding bikes. It would be very frustrating to pay for that large of an area as part of our rent and not be able to use it safely.

[Coldjensens]

What wwould I do? I would remove the lead paint and repaint the area. But most people probably would not do that.

Call your landlord and tell him about it. Ask him if he will removed it if nto then you either live with it or move.

In the mean time, and if yu do not move and it is not remediated, tell your kids not to eat and paint chips and not to lick the walls.

By the way. Those home test kits often give bad results. They fail both ways - false positives and false negatives. I woudl not rely on them. I used them. Tested the same areas multiple times and kept getting different results. Several areas that I knew had to be lead paint tested negative. I took some chips in for testing and they came up positive. Other places tested positive once and negative once. Chips tested neagtive. I tested a spot with brand new latex paint three times and got positives every single time.


You might want to take your kids in for a blood test to see what level of lead is int heir blood now if any.
You should not leave leeping paint anywhere regardless of lead results. If it is peeling a small child will likely stick chips in their mouth. Even if it is not lead. It is not a good thing for a baby to eat.

You may want to take yur kids in for a blood test as well. Just to be safe.

[bhcompy]

I received a lead based paint disclosure upon signing lease. I believe it's the law in CA for any structure built prior to 78. I don't think there is anything you can do about it other than have them paint over it again.

[Coldjensens]

If it is peeling, you do nto want it painted over. It will just continue peeling. The heat gun is your new friend.

[mamamea33]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

What wwould I do? I would remove the lead paint and repaint the area. But most people probably would not do that.

Call your landlord and tell him about it. Ask him if he will removed it if nto then you either live with it or move.

In the mean time, and if yu do not move and it is not remediated, tell your kids not to eat and paint chips and not to lick the walls.

By the way. Those home test kits often give bad results. They fail both ways - false positives and false negatives. I woudl not rely on them. I used them. Tested the same areas multiple times and kept getting different results. Several areas that I knew had to be lead paint tested negative. I took some chips in for testing and they came up positive. Other places tested positive once and negative once. Chips tested neagtive. I tested a spot with brand new latex paint three times and got positives every single time.


You might want to take your kids in for a blood test to see what level of lead is int heir blood now if any.
You should not leave leeping paint anywhere regardless of lead results. If it is peeling a small child will likely stick chips in their mouth. Even if it is not lead. It is not a good thing for a baby to eat.

You may want to take yur kids in for a blood test as well. Just to be safe.

Thanks for the reply! I have contacted the landlord and am waiting for a response. I agree that lead paint or not, it needs to be repaired. But that is the difference between repairing it easily or having it remediated. If she hires someone to come in and scrape it down without remediation (or testing) we will leave.

Obviously the best-case scenario is that the test kit was wrong and the paint is fine.

My daughter is having a blood test done. They want to wait a few months to do one on my son. She spends more time out there but she's also older, so it would have less of an effect on her.

Originally Posted by bhcompy

I received a lead based paint disclosure upon signing lease. I believe it's the law in CA for any structure built prior to 78. I don't think there is anything you can do about it other than have them paint over it again.

We received the disclosure stating there may be lead paint. She did not indicate whether any testing has been done or whether it is definitive.

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

If it is peeling, you do nto want it painted over. It will just continue peeling. The heat gun is your new friend.

Heat gun?
Obviously this will not be something we do ourselves... We are capable, but not under these circumstances.

[bhcompy]

Originally Posted by mamamea33

We received the disclosure stating there may be lead paint. She did not indicate whether any testing has been done or whether it is definitive.

They give you the disclosure because there is an assumption that there is lead based paint. Just like there's an assumption your popcorn ceiling has asbestos. I highly doubt there is any way you can force your landlord to test for it or even take corrective action other than repairing the damaged areas.

[mamamea33]

Originally Posted by bhcompy

They give you the disclosure because there is an assumption that there is lead based paint. Just like there's an assumption your popcorn ceiling has asbestos. I highly doubt there is any way you can force your landlord to test for it or even take corrective action other than repairing the damaged areas.

Amazingly she has agreed to have it tested and repaired. I'm not sure if she knows what that could entail... my husband and I think she may be a first-time landlord. Hopefully they go through the proper steps and have it tested first before going to town with a sander.

My ideal scenario is to have peace of mind that the porch is relatively safe and in good repair. If we continue to have concern then I would hope we can at least make it through the lease end in November without needing to move again. I would prefer to stay here several years until we are ready to buy, but the safety of the kids trumps that.

Interestingly a friend of mine is also dealing with a lead paint issue but they own their home. Their son's lead test came back elevated twice, increasing since the last one. He has language delays so naturally they are concerned there is a correlation.

[dallasdean]

It is federal law that any contractor disturbing a painted or stained surface be an EPA Lead Safe Certified Firm, unless it is cleared by a lead inspector or risk assessor (in California).

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by dallasdean

It is federal law that any contractor disturbing a painted or stained surface be an EPA Lead Safe Certified Firm, unless it is cleared by a lead inspector or risk assessor (in California).

Isn't there also a minimum area of disturbance before this kicks in?

Also... the information I have does not pertain to housing 1978 and newer...

The bottom line is there are concerns over possible hazards and this is why the Lead Safe booklet is mandated for applicable housing... it is precisely to make the renter/buyer aware before making a commitment.

If I believed my family to be at risk... no lease could keep me... what's loosing a deposit or the remainder of the lease when it comes to safety...

Studies have shown the children with the greatest risk also have nutritional deficiencies... your doctor can best advise you as to specifics...

Hopefully, it all works well for both parties

PS... Per the EPA lead booklet... a heat gun is not an acceptable method for removing lead based paint.

[dallasdean]

Originally Posted by Ultrarunner

Isn't there also a minimum area of disturbance before this kicks in?

Also... the information I have does not pertain to housing 1978 and newer...

PS... Per the EPA lead booklet... a heat gun is not an acceptable method for removing lead based paint.

There are some exceptions, but usually a Certified Renovator (working under a Lead Safe Certified Firm) should be the one to determine that. As an example, there are EPA's and HUD's. One or both can apply.

The OP mentioned a pre-1978 house. However, you are correct that it applies to target housing built before 1978.

Heat gun can be used on the EPA's, but has to be below 1100 Fahrenheit.

Personally, I would be giving my kids a blood lead test if I was concerned.