This is a very good notice for families that live in homes built before 1978. Deteriorating lead paint may be a hazard and a serious health risk to the occupants of an older home. Every family should be aware of the risks.
Blooming for Maryland home buyers.
*Get your children and home tested if you think your home has high levels of lead.*
*Just knowing that a home has lead-based paint may not tell you if there is a hazard.*
To reduce your child's exposure to lead, get your child checked, have your home tested (especially if your home has paint in poor condition and was built before 1978), and fix any hazards you may have.
- Your Family
- Children's blood lead levels tend to increase rapidly from 6 to 12 months of age, and tend to peak at 18 to 24 months of age.
- Consult your doctor for advice on testing your children. A simple blood test can detect high levels of lead. Blood tests are important for:
- Children at ages 1 and 2.
- Children and other family members who have been exposed to high levels of lead.
- Children who should be tested under your state or local health screening plan.
- Your doctor can explain what the test results mean and if more testing will be needed.
- Your Home
- You can get your home checked in one of two ways, or both:
- A paint inspection tells you the lead content of every different type of painted surface in your home. It won't tell you whether the paint is a hazard or how you should deal with it.
- A risk assessment tells you if there are any sources of serious lead exposure (such as peeling paint and lead dust). It also tells you what actions to take to address these hazards.
- Have qualified professionals do the work. There are standards in place for certifying lead-based paint professionals to ensure the work is done safely, reliably, and effectively. Contact the National Lead Information Center (NLIC) for a list of contacts in your area.
- Trained professionals use a range of methods when checking your home, including:
- Visual inspection of paint condition and location.
- A portable x-ray fluorescence (XRF) machine.
- Lab tests of paint samples.
- Surface dust tests.
Note: Home test kits for lead are available, but studies suggest that they are not always accurate. Consumers should not rely on these tests before doing renovations or to assure safety.
Courtesy of: Affordable Home Inspections 905-730-9300 www.affordablehomeinspections.ca
Home Inspections Since 1997
30 years experience in home renovation and general contracting
15 years experience as a real estate investor and in marketing
Affordable Home Inspections 905-730-9300 www.affordablehomeinspections.ca
We represent home buyers and sellers as their exclusive agents in the Maryland suburbs of Washington DC and nearby counties. Your Real Estate Professionals In Maryland.
Roy Kelley
Roy Kelley & Associates
Associate Broker, RE/MAX Realty Group
Client Assistance: 301-670-8996
Recipient of the RE/MAX International Lifetime Achievement Award - 2008
I have had only one client who elected to have an older home tested for lead base paint.
Roy, Great re-blog. Peeling lead paint and children do not mix. A good read all of us who are living in older homes.
Gloria
It's hard to believe that there are still homes out there 32 years later that have lead paint in them. One would think that simple and basic maintenance like painting might have been done since 1978.