If you’ve bought a house or you’re in the process of buying a house in San Jose, CA, you know that one of the many documents you have to read and sign is the lead-based paint disclosure. Hopefully, your realtor explained this document and what it means about the house you’re purchasing. However, if things get rushed, it would be easy to breeze through it with all the paperwork you have to sift through when buying a house.
Don’t let that happen! Knowing whether a home has lead paint is important to your home purchase and your health. In fact, here are three reasons why our team at Wall 2 Wall Property Inspections would recommend lead paint testing to a home buyer.
1. The house was built before 1978.
In 1978, legislation was passed saying that lead-based paint could no longer be used residentially due to its effects on health. Therefore, sellers must now provide a lead-paint disclosure stating when the house was built, whether they’re aware of any lead paint on the premises, and whether they’ve had a lead inspection. However, the current owners could be unaware of the past use of lead paint. Therefore, if the house was built before 1978, play it safe, and get lead paint testing.
2. You plan to remodel an older home.
Older homes come with a lot of character, but they can also come with what was once standard: lead paint. Many experts note that lead paint, if left alone, doesn’t pose high health risks. However, if it starts peeling and cracking or if you plan to sand down cabinets or siding and so on, that dust could be ingested, putting you and anyone else in your home at risk. Therefore, before you buy an older house or remodel it, consider having it tested for lead paint before you proceed.
3. The previous owners tested the house positively for lead paint.
Did the previous owners reveal the presence of lead paint? Maybe they had the home tested but never did anything about it. While they’re required to provide the buyers with the results of any testing that was done, they may or may not have removed the lead paint. You may feel more comfortable having your own lead testing done so you can know where it is and begin plans for remediation.
Want to know more about lead paint testing and its value? Contact Wall 2 Wall Property Inspections today at (408) 905-9255. We are home inspection experts serving the areas of San Jose, Santa Clara, and the surrounding areas.
photo credit: Caroline Culler (User:Wgreaves) (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons
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