Welcome to the Amalfi Estates Library!

This section of our Web site is intended to help inform the public with information about home buying, and home selling, as well as our "Real Talk" section. Since we know that many real estate terms are unfamiliar, we have also included an online glossary for your use.

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Lead Paint and Buying or Selling Real Estate: Can it Affect You?

Although lead-based paint has been against the law for a long time, it remains a matter of concern for both homeowners and Realtors. In 1992, the Housing and Community Development Act made it so that the seller of real estate was obligated to disclose any potential lead-based paint usage to the purchaser in connection with the sale. Lead had been used as a paint additive for nearly 125 years before it was definitively linked to serious illness around 1978. That year, it was determined that lead was prohibited from being put in paint as an additive.

The specific danger is lead poisoning. Young children under six years of age have the greatest risk of developing lead poisoning from lead-based paint because their growing bodies take in many of the minerals that they are exposed to, regardless of whether it is something good calcium or something dangerous like lead. High levels of lead in the body can cause brain and vital organ damage, behavior problems, hearing problems, and can seriously damage the nervous system. These problems can occur in both adults and children, but as an added factor in the case of children, it can interfere with growth.

Any home built earlier than 1978 that has cracked, peeling, or chipped paint should be treated as a hazard. It should be repaired as a high priority. If paint containing lead was used around the door or window frames, normal usage of these items may be generating a surprisingly large amount of dust that contains lead. Lead dust is a toxic substance and can be very difficult to get rid of. Vacuuming and sweeping can cause it to get back into the air and it just gets stirred up whenever you touch it.

Are You in Danger?

In order to find out whether your home has a lead-based paint problem, if you live in a home built before the 1978 ban, the safest action to take is to get a paint inspection conducted by a trained professional. A competent inspection will let the homeowner determine lead additive in every painted surface and will reveal any areas of serious exposure.

Although there are testing kits available commercially that allow homeowners test themselves, the EPA recommends a professionally conducted inspection to discover any dangerous areas that might only be found by a professional. If your home is in the risk group, it may well be worth the price of getting it done right, to have the peace of mind that comes from being sure you are safe.

Information provided by Automated Homefinder, your Boulder real estate experts in Colorado.