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Albuquerque Rentals And Lead Paint

Blair Hart • Apr 13, 2017

Nice Homes In Lovely Neighborhoods Can Have Lead Paint

Many popular rental neighborhoods in Albuquerque have homes that can cause lead paint concerns.  Most Albuquerque pre-1977 rental homes are located in the established neighborhoods that mushroomed around the city center in the 1950’s and 1960.  These lovely older neighborhoods especially appeal to young couples who rent as a first step from apartment living and people with young children who want a large yard for the play area.   Although, the use of lead pigmented paint was banned in the US in 1977 due to rising concern over its toxicity, the possibility of lead paint toxicity still remain as long as some of the original home is standing.

Children Chewing on Window Sills Is Not The Issue

The average pre-1977 rental home in these tree shaded established neighborhoods of Albuquerque are usually in excellent repair and have been repainted outside and inside many, many times.  Many people do not realize that simply sanding or cutting into a wall painted with a lead based product can create substantial risk.  If you have owned a pre-1977 rental home for a while or have recently purchased one as an investment you may be considering doing some remodeling such as in the kitchen and bathrooms.  Remember that toxic lead paint may be lurking behind old cabinets, moldings, etc.

Lead-based paint will continue to be a concern in pre-1978 properties for many years to come, requiring diligent attention by all who work in any capacity with renovation or repair. The landlord needs to be aware of potential toxicity of the presence of Lead paint and the regulations that need to be followed.  Studies have proven that protection from the potential hazards of ingesting lead from the paint extends far beyond not chewing on window sills and that adults are at greater risk than originally believed.  The EPA web site contains vital information with which every consumer, contractor and landlord should be familiar. The following link takes you to the EPA Repair, Renovation and Painting Program page. A little time spent in educating yourself can save a lot of grief!  http://www2.epa.gov/lead/renovation-repair-and-painting-program

A Little History

In January of 2011 the Environmental Protection Agency established a series of regulations regarding procedures to be followed when areas containing lead-based paint are disturbed in any way. Failure to follow these procedures creates substantial risks to health and can result in very heavy fines

The use of lead based paint came about in part as a result of public health concerns. In the late 1800’s and early 20th century, millions of people worldwide died from infectious diseases. Although the concept of bacterial and viral infections was ill understood, the medical community encouraged people to regularly wash the walls of their homes. Most walls of the day were covered with paper, a fact which made regular washing both difficult and ineffective. Enter the era of paint. People of the time most often relied on professionals to paint their houses and the products of choice by tradesmen contained lead pigments, prized for its shine and durability. The Federal Government even specified the use of lead pigmented, “lead-based”, paint in government buildings.  The detrimental effect of lead on health has long been documented. Studies in the late 1800’s showed the ingestion of lead to be the cause of a wide variety of health problems, particularly in young children. As early as 1904 a link was made between lead-based paint and health problems among children. The wisdom of the day was that even though adults are also adversely affected by lead, they were not at as much at risk since children were more likely to ingest lead. The slightly sweet taste of lead (the ancient Romans added small amounts to their wine) often tempted young children to eat paint chips or “chew on the window sills.”

 

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