Bertie Brink wrote:
If the house was built in the 60's ('62) in the US, would there be lead
paint in it? What year did they stop using lead paint in the US in new
home construction? What are the years for mercury in paints?

Maybe, maybe not. Not all paint had lead in it.
About 1976, but there will be variations because
not everyone followed the law and used lead paint
if they had it. Mercury? Why would one put
mercury in paint?


Also if the baseboards and window casings have it, is it better to paint
over it or remove it and put new ones? Is the risk of unsettling lead
dust greater?

There is no danger in lead paint if you don't eat
it. The main danger was flaking paint and and an
activity called pika (eating dirt). Some ethnic
groups of people (especially their children) seem
to have a penchant for eating dirt, so eating dirt
that contains lead paint flakes causes lead
poisoning in children and some adults. The
problem was especially notable in slums where
house upkeep was poor.
If you sand lead painted surfaces you need a good
respirator (not one of the paper mask things).
Even at that, as an adult, you would have to be
exposed to a great deal of lead before you have
severe effect. As an adult, you would have mild
effects and should go to a doctor long before you
ingested enough lead to result in permanent harm.
The first effect is extreme tiredness. Having
worked in a lead smelter, I know from experience
what the effects are.

It is good to get lead out of the air, especially
out of gasoline, and out of food products and
products used for eating. But for most people,
lead in paint is a non-issue. Whether or not a
house was painted with lead paint would be of not
be a purchase concern to me.

BTW, if your house is kept painted and clean you
would be hard pressed to find a significant amount
of lead dust. But yes, a person looking for the
sale of some anti-lead product could possibly
conjure up enough lead to get a positive test.
More important would be the e-coli and other
bacteria in your bathroom and kitchen.



Thanks

Bertie Brink
http://www.setdefault.com/bertie