Lead Facts for Homeowners

Transcription

1 Lead Facts fr Hmewners Lead Facts fr Hmewners Did yu knw the fllwing facts abut lead? FACT: Lead expsure can harm yung children and babies even befre they are brn. FACT: Even children wh seem healthy can have high levels f lead in their bdies. FACT: Yu can get lead in yur bdy by breathing r swallwing lead dust, r by eating sil r paint chips cntaining lead. FACT: Yu have many ptins fr reducing lead hazards. In mst cases, lead-based paint that is in gd cnditin is nt a hazard. FACT: Remving lead-based paint imprperly can increase the danger t yur family. If yu think yur hme might have lead hazards, read n t learn abut lead and sme simple steps t prtect yur family. Health Effects f Lead Childhd lead pisning remains a majr envirnmental health prblem in the U.S. Even children wh appear healthy can have dangerus levels f lead in their bdies. Peple can get lead in their bdy if they: put their hands r ther bjects cvered with lead dust in their muths; eat paint chips r sil that cntains lead; r breathe in lead dust, especially during renvatins that disturb painted surfaces. Lead is even mre dangerus t children than adults because: babies and yung children ften put their hands and ther bjects in their muths. These bjects can have lead dust n them; children's grwing bdies can absrb mre lead; and children's brains and central nervus systems are mre sensitive t the damaging effects f lead. If nt detected early, children with high levels f lead in their bdies can suffer frm: damage t the brain and nervus system; behaviral and learning prblems (such as hyperactivity); slwed grwth; hearing prblems; and Page 1 f 5

2 Lead Facts fr Hmewners headaches. Lead is als harmful t adults. Adults can suffer frm: difficulties during pregnancy; ther reprductive prblems (in bth men and wmen); high bld pressure; digestive prblems; nerve disrders; memry and cncentratin prblems; and muscle and jint pain Where is Lead Fund? In general, the lder yur hme, the mre likely it has lead-based paint. Paint Many hmes built befre 1978 have lead-based paint. The federal gvernment banned lead-based paint frm husing in Sme states stpped its use even earlier. Lead can be fund: in hmes in the city, cuntry and suburbs; n apartments, single-family hmes, and bth private and public husing cmplexes; n the interir and exterir f the huse; in the sil arund a hme. Sil can pick up lead frm exterir paint and ther surces, such as past use f leaded gas in cars; in husehld dust. Dust can pick up lead frm deterirating lead-based paint and frm sil tracked int a hme; in drinking water. Yur hme might have plumbing that uses lead pipes r lead slder. Call yur lcal health department r water supplier t find ut abut testing yur water. Yu cannt see, smell r taste lead, and biling yur water will nt get rid f lead. If yu think yur plumbing might have lead in it: Use nly cld water fr drinking and cking. Run water fr 15 t 30 secnds befre drinking it, especially if yu have nt used yur water fr a few hurs. n the jb. If yu wrk with lead, yu culd bring it hme n yur hands r clthes. Shwer and change clthes befre cming hme. Launder yur wrk clthes separately frm the rest f yur family's clthes; in ld (vintage r antique) painted tys and furniture; in fd and liquids stred in lead crystal, lead-glazed pttery and prcelain; frm lead smelters and ther industries that release lead int the air; with hbbies that use lead, such as making pttery r stained glass, r refinishing furniture. in flk remedies that cntain lead, such as "greta" and "azarcn" used t treat an upset stmach. Where is Lead Likely t be a Hazard? Page 2 f 5

3 Lead Facts fr Hmewners Lead frm paint chips, which yu can see, and lead dust, which yu can't always see, can be serius hazards. Peeling, chipping, chalking and cracking lead-based paint is a hazard and needs immediate attentin. Lead-based paint may als be a hazard when fund n surfaces that children can chew r that get a lt f wear-and-tear. These areas include: windws and windw sills; drs and dr frames; stairs, railings and banisters; and prches and fences. Nte: Lead-based paint that is in gd cnditin is usually nt a hazard. Lead dust can frm when lead-based paint is dry-scraped, dry-sanded, r heated. Dust als frms when painted surfaces bump r rub tgether. Lead chips and dust can get n surfaces and bjects that peple tuch. Settled lead dust can re-enter the air when peple vacuum, sweep r walk thrugh it. Lead in sil can be a hazard when children play in bare sil, r when peple bring sil int the huse n their shes. Checking Yur Family and Hme fr Lead Have yur children and hme tested if yu think yur hme has high levels f lead. Just knwing that a hme has lead-based paint may nt tell yu if there is a hazard. T reduce yur child s expsure t lead, get yur child checked, have yur hme tested (especially if yur hme has paint in pr cnditin and was built befre 1978), and fix any hazards yu may have. Yur Family Children s bld lead levels tend t increase rapidly frm 6 t 12 mnths f age, and tend t peak at 18 t 24 mnths f age. Cnsult yur dctr fr advice n testing yur children. A simple bld test can detect high levels f lead. Bld tests are imprtant fr: children at ages 1 t 2; children and ther family members wh have been expsed t high levels f lead; and children wh shuld be tested under yur state r lcal health screening plan. Yur dctr can explain what the test results mean and if mre testing will be needed. Yur Hme Yu can get yur hme checked in ne f tw ways (r bth): A paint inspectin tells yu the lead cntent f every different type f painted surface in yur hme. It wn't tell yu whether the paint is a hazard r hw yu shuld deal with it. Page 3 f 5

4 Lead Facts fr Hmewners A risk assessment tells yu if there are any surces f serius lead expsure, such as peeling paint and lead dust. It als tells yu what actins t take t address these hazards. Have qualified prfessinals d the wrk. There are standards in place fr certifying lead-based paint prfessinals t ensure that the wrk is dne safely, reliably and effectively. Be sure t ask yur InterNACHI inspectr abut lead paint during yur next inspectin. Trained prfessinals use a range f methds when checking yur hme, including: a vsual inspectin f paint cnditin and lcatin; a prtable x-ray flurescence (XRF) machine; lab tests f paint samples; and surface-dust tests. Nte: Hme test kits fr lead are available, but studies suggest that they are nt always accurate. Cnsumers shuld nt rely n these tests befre ding renvatins r t assure safety. What Yu Can D t Prtect Yur Family If yu suspect that yur huse has lead hazards, yu can take sme immediate steps t reduce yur family's risk: If yu rent, ntify yur landlrd f peeling r chipping paint. Clean up paint chips immediately. Clean flrs, windw frames, windw sills, and ther surfaces weekly. Use a mp, spnge r paper twel with warm water and a general all-purpse cleaner, r a cleaner made specifically fr lead. REMEMBER: NEVER MIX AMMONIA AND BLEACH PRODUCTS TOGETHER, SINCE THEY CAN FORM A DANGEROUS GAS. Thrughly rinse spnges and mp heads after cleaning dirty and dusty areas. Wash children's hands ften, especially befre they eat, and befre nap time and bed time. Keep play areas clean. Wash bttles, pacifiers, tys and stuffed animals regularly. Keep children frm chewing windw sills and ther painted surfaces. Clean r remve shes befre entering yur hme t avid tracking in lead frm sil. Make sure children eat nutritius, lw-fat meals high in irn and calcium, such as spinach and dairy prducts. Children with gd diets absrb less lead. In additin t day-t-day cleaning and gd nutritin, yu can temprarily reduce lead hazards by taking actins such as repairing damaged amd painted surfaces, and by planting grass t cver sil with high lead levels. These actins, called "interim cntrls," are nt permanent slutins and will need nging attentin. T permanently remve lead hazards, yu must hire a certified lead-abatement cntractr. Abatement (r permanent hazard eliminatin) methds include remving, sealing r enclsing leadbased paint with special materials. Just painting ver the hazard with regular paint is nt enugh. Always hire a persn with special training fr crrecting lead prblems -- smene wh knws hw t d this wrk safely and has the prper equipment t clean Page 4 f 5

5 Lead Facts fr Hmewners up thrughly. Certified cntractrs will emply qualified wrkers and fllw strict safety rules set by their state r the federal gvernment. T be safe, hire an InterNACHI inspectr trained in lead detectin fr yur next inspectin. Are Yu Planning t Buy r Rent a Hme Built Befre 1978? Many huses and apartments built befre 1978 have paint that cntains lead (called lead-based paint). Lead frm paint, chips and dust can pse serius health hazards if nt taken care f prperly. Federal law requires that individuals receive certain infrmatin befre renting r buying pre-1978 husing. Residential Lead-Based Paint Disclsure Prgram LANDLORDS have t disclse knwn infrmatin n lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards befre leases take effect. Leases must include a disclsure frm abut lead-based paint. SELLERS have t disclse knwn infrmatin n lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards befre selling a huse. Sales cntracts must include a disclsure frm abut lead-based paint. Buyers have up t 10 days t check fr lead hazards. If nt cnducted prperly, certain types f renvatins can release lead frm paint and dust int the air. Pre-Renvatin Educatin Prgram (PRE) RENOVATORS have t give yu a pamphlet titled Prtect Yur Family frm Lead in Yur Hme befre starting wrk. Take precautins befre yur cntractr r yu begin remdeling r renvatins that disturb painted surfaces (such as scraping ff paint r tearing ut walls). Have the area tested fr lead-based paint. D nt use a belt-sander, prpane trch, heat gun, dry scraper r dry sandpaper t remve lead-based paint. These actins create large amunts f lead dust and fumes. Lead dust can remain in yur hme lng after the wrk is dne. Temprarily mve yur family (especially children and pregnant wmen) ut f the apartment r huse until the wrk is dne and the area is prperly cleaned. If yu can't mve yur family, at least cmpletely seal ff the wrk area. If yu have already cmpleted renvatins r remdeling that culd have released lead-based paint r dust, get yur yung children tested and fllw the steps utlined t prtect yur family. Adapted frm the infrmatin at Page 5 f 5