Lead in the home, what you should know – Andrew Realty Group

For Georgia real estate, we are your total marketing solution.

Contact us today for more information - (404) 250-0409 or Alan@AndrewRealtyGroup.com

Warning! This house could be hazardous to your health!

You’d be hard pressed to sell a home with such a label attached to it. And yet, many older homes in the United States might qualify. You see, prior to 1978, paints and other products containing lead were widely used in homes and offices. Chipping and peeling paint can expose occupants to this hazardous material. In addition, many older plumbing systems utilized lead-based solder to join pipes. This lead can leech into the water, especially when running hot water. In certain areas, high concentrations of lead can even be found in the ground soil.

Unknown in years past, it is now clear that lead causes a number of health-related problems. In children this can include growth and learning disabilities, headaches and even brain damage. Adults are not immune either. High levels of lead have been tied to problem pregnancies, high-blood pressure and digestive problems.

Before you buy or sell an older home, you need to know what hazards may exist. If selling, federal law stipulates that you must disclose any lead-based paint in the home. If you're buying, you want to know what hazards may be lurking in the walls, as well as in the pipes, before you put up your earnest money. If you suspect that a house contains high levels of lead, you should contact a qualified professional to do an inspection. These tradesmen use a range of tools - from the well-trained eye to complex, specialized equipment - to detect lead levels and recommend appropriate solutions. The National Lead Information Center (NLIC, http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/nlic.htm) can help you find a resource.

Many solutions exist for cleaning up lead concentrations. Depending upon your situation, you may find one of these an adequate solution. Removing lead-based paint, for example, may be as much trouble as it is worth. First, just the act of stripping the paint from the walls is likely to create dust and debris which is more likely to be ingested. Given these hazards, you should consult a certified contractor to complete this kind of work. Short of removing the paint, you may be able to get by with covering the old, lead-based paint with a coat of sealant specifically designed for this purpose. Once again, a certified contractor will be able to recommend an appropriate solution. Financial assistance is even available in certain circumstances.

So even though a house may not carry a warning label from the EPA, a little common sense and a sharp eye should keep your family safe.

We specialize in full-service real estate for the Metro Atlanta Area: the cities/counties we specialize in are:
atlanta real estate, atlanta ga real estate, atlanta georgia real estate, atlanta ga homes for sale, homes in atlanta georgia, atlanta homes for sale, homes for sale in atlanta, atlanta realtor, fulton county real estate, homes for sale in fulton county, buckhead homes for sale, buckhead real estate, ashford park real estate, chastain park real estate, candler park real estate, chamblee real estate, east cobb homes for sale, east cobb realtor, atlantic station real estate, gwinnett county real estate, forsyth county real estate, atlanta foreclosures, real estate brokers, homes for sale in atlanta, atlanta real estate agents, atlanta townhomes for sale, atlanta home builders, atlanta lots for sale, atlanta lofts for sale, mansions, luxury homes, georgia land for sale, atlanta area communities, cobb county property listings, communities in cobb county, real estate broker, homes for sale, houses for sale, new homes for sale, new construction, north fulton county, north fulton, cherokee county, paulding county, douglas county, east cobb, west cobb, gwinnett county, sandy springs, north metro atlanta, n fulton, coldwell banker, suburbs of atlanta, atlanta visitors, atlanta subdivisions, atlanta mls, atlanta houses, georgia new homes, home warranty, for sale by owner, fsbo, lenox mall, perimeter mall, dekalb county realtor, vinings real estate, vinings home for sale, emory real estate, druid hills real estate, smyrna real estate, grant park homes for sale, inman park homes for sale, sandy springs real estate, little 5 points, kirkwood, midtown homes for sale, dunwoody real estate agent, morningside, virginia highlands real estate, piedmont, ansley park, homes for sale, realtor, lake homes, mountain homes, lake lanier real estate, carter lake real estate, area information, re/max greater atlanta...and all areas in between...thank you for visiting our site