LBP (lead-based paint) began to be a recognized issue in the late 1940's. By the early 1950s most US-producers and suppliers of interior paint had voluntarily removed LBP from their shelves due to the health concerns. Exterior paints were not far behind, and by the early 1960s there were virtually no lead-based paints on the market in the US. Louisville and southern Indiana (Kentuckiana) were aligned with those broader domestic trends.
The good news, then, is LBP is probably not an issue for any homes built after the early 1950s. The bad news is that recent EPA guidance mandates that any home built in 1978 or before must comply with certain very strict rules regarding lead-based paint, specifically as it pertains to any remodeling.
The EPA's website is www.epa.gov/lead, and it is somewhat informative. What a consumer (and a realtor) should know is that they should always confirm that a contractor who may be involved in disturbing painted surfaces (this can include plumbers, painters, cabinet installers, etc- anybody who disturbs the paint) must be certified through a federal process. Some states have state-specific guidelines, but neither Kentucky nor Indiana were in that category as of the time of this writing.
So go to that website and look to the right. Click the icon, and then check to ensure your contractors are on the list. Having work done on your home without a certified contractor can cost you severe penalties. The oddity of the rule is that you, as a homeowner, can do all of the work yourself if you'd like, and you don't have to be certified! It is an "out" by the EPA to remove some of the burden for homeowners.
Next week: testing for lead-based paint in Jefferson county, KY.
What a consumer (and a realtor) should know is that they should always confirm that a contractor who may be involved in disturbing painted surfaces (this can include plumbers.
ReplyDelete