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Property Management Services Serving owners, tenants and neighborhoods in the greater Syracuse area.
Lead BrochureIf you think your home has high levels of lead:
Are You Planning To Buy, Rent, or Renovate a Home Built Before 1978? Many houses and apartments built before 1978 have paint that contains high levels of lead (called lead based paint). Lead from paint, chips, and dust can pose serious health hazards if not taken care of properly. OWNERS, BUYERS, and RENTERS are encouraged to check for lead (see page 6) before renting, buying or renovating pre-1978 housing. Federal law requires that individuals receive certain information before renting, buying, or renovating pre-1978 housing: LANDLORDS have to disclose known information on lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards before leases take effect. Leases must include a disclosure about lead-based paint. SELLERS have to disclose known information on lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards before selling a house. Sales contracts must include a disclosure about lead-based paint. Buyers have up to 10 days to check for lead. RENOVATORS disturbing more than 2 square feet of painted surfaces have to give you this pamphlet before starting work. Lead From Paint, Dust, and Soil Can Be Dangerous If Not Managed Properly FACT: Lead exposure can harm young children and babies even before they are born. Lead Gets in the Body in Many Ways Childhood lead poisoning remains a major environmental health problem in the U.S. Even children who appear healthy can have dangerous levels of lead in their bodies. People can get lead in their body if they:
Lead is even more dangerous to children under the age of 6:
In adults, lead can cause:
Where Lead-Based Paint Is Found In general, the older your home, the more likely it has lead based paint. Many homes built before 1978 have lead based paint. The federal government banned lead-based paint from housing in 1978. Some states stopped its use even earlier. Lead can be found:
Checking Your Family for Lead Get your children and home tested if you think your home has high levels of lead. To reduce your child's exposure to lead,get your child checked, have your hometested (especially if your home has paintin poor condition and was built before1978), and fix any hazards you may have. Children's blood lead levels tend to increaserapidly from 6 to 12 months of age, andtend to peak at 18 to 24 months of age. Consult your doctor for advice on testingyour children. A simple blood test candetect high levels of lead. Blood tests areusually recommended for:
Your doctor can explain what the test resultsmean and if more testing will be needed. Lead-based paint is usually not a hazard ifit is in good condition, and it is not on animpact or friction surface, like a window. Itis defined by the federal government aspaint with lead levels greater than or equalto 1.0 milligram per square centimeter, ormore than 0.5% by weight. Deteriorating lead-based paint (peeling,chipping, chalking, cracking or damaged)is a hazard and needs immediate attention. It may also be a hazard when found on surfacesthat children can chew or that get alot of wear-and-tear, such as:
Lead dust can form when lead-based paint is scraped, sanded, orheated. Dust also forms when painted surfaces bump or rub together. Lead chips and dust can get on surfaces and objects that peopletouch. Settled lead dust can re-enter the air when people vacuum,sweep, or walk through it. The following two federal standards havebeen set for lead hazards in dust:
Lead in soil can be a hazard when children play in bare soil orwhen people bring soil into the house on their shoes. The followingtwo federal standards have been set for lead hazards in residentialsoil:
The only way to find out if paint, dust and soil lead hazards exist isto test for them. The next page describes the most common methodsused. Lead from paint chips, which you can see, and lead dust, which you can't always see, can both be serious hazards. Identifying Lead Hazards Checking Your Home for Lead You can get your home tested for lead inseveral different ways:
There are state and federal programs inplace to ensure that testing is done safely,reliably, and effectively. Contact your stateor local agency (see bottom of page 11) formore information, or call 1-800-424-LEAD(5323) for a list of contacts in your area.Home test kits for lead are available, butmay not always be accurate. Consumersshould not rely on these kits before doingrenovations or to assure safety. What You Can Do Now To ProtectYour Family If you suspect that your house has leadhazards, you can take some immediatesteps to reduce your family's risk: REMEMBER: NEVER MIX AMMONIA AND BLEACHPRODUCTS TOGETHER SINCE THEYCAN FORM A DANGEROUS GAS.
Children with good diets absorb less lead. Reducing Lead Hazards In The Home In addition to day-to-day cleaning and goodnutrition:
Just painting over the hazard with regularpaint is not permanent removal. Always hire a person with special trainingfor correcting lead problems-someonewho knows how to do this work safely andhas the proper equipment to clean upthoroughly. Certified contractors will employqualified workers and follow strict safetyrules as set by their state or by the federalgovernment. Once the work is completed, dust cleanupactivities must be repeated until testingindicates that lead dust levels are below thefollowing:
Call your state or local agency for help in locating certifiedprofessionals in your area and to see iffinancial assistance is available. Remodeling or Renovating a Home With Lead-Based Paint Take precautions before your contractor oryou begin remodeling or renovating anythingthat disturbs painted surfaces (suchas scraping off paint or tearing out walls):
If you have already completed renovationsor remodeling that could havereleased lead-based paint or dust, getyour young children tested and followthe steps outlined on page 7 of thisbrochure Other Sources of Lead Drinking water. Your home might haveplumbing with lead or lead solder. Callyour local health department or watersupplier to find out about testing yourwater. You cannot see, smell, or tastelead, and boiling your water will not getrid of lead. If you think your plumbingmight have lead in it:
The job. If you work with lead, youcould bring it home on your hands orclothes. Shower and change clothesbefore coming home. Launder your workclothes separately from the rest of yourfamily's clothes.
For More Information The National Lead Information CenterCall 1-800-424-LEAD (424-5323) to learnhow to protect children from lead poisoningand for other information on lead hazards. To access lead information via the web, visitwww.epa.gov/lead andwww.hud.gov/offices/lead/. EPA's Safe Drinking Water HotlineCall 1-800-426-4791 for information aboutlead in drinking water. Consumer Product SafetyCommission (CPSC) Hotline To request information on lead inconsumer products, or to report anunsafe consumer product or a product-related injury call 1-800-638-2772, or visit CPSC's Web site at:www.cpsc.gov. Health and Environmental Agencies Some cities, states, and tribes havetheir own rules for lead-based paintactivities. Check with your local agency tosee which laws apply to you. Most agenciescan also provide information on finding alead abatement firm in your area, and onpossible sources of financial aid for reducinglead hazards. Receive up-to-date addressand phone information for your local contactson the Internet at www.epa.gov/leador contact the National Lead InformationCenter at 1-800-424-LEAD. For the hearing impaired, call the Federal InformationRelay Service at 1-800-877-8339 to access any ofthe phone numbers in this brochure EPA Regional Offices
HUD Lead Office Please contact HUD's Office of Healthy Homes and Lead HazardControl for information on lead regulations, outreach efforts, andlead hazard control and research grant programs.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
This document is in the public domain. It may be reproduced by an individual ororganization without permission. Information provided in this booklet is basedupon current scientific and technical understanding of the issues presented andis reflective of the jurisdictional boundaries established by the statutes governingthe co-authoring agencies. Following the advice given will not necessarily providecomplete protection in all situations or against all health hazards that canbe caused by lead exposure.
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