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?

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?

Thanks

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

Paint. Many homes built before 1978 have lead-based paint. The
federal government banned lead-based paint from housing in 1978. Some
states stopped its use even earlier.

http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/leadinfo.htm#facts


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?

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?

Thanks

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

"Bertie Brink" wrote in message
...
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?

Posible, but much less likely than older than that. l It was banned in 1978,
IIRC, but it was not normal practice for some time before that. You can
buy a test kit at a harware or paint store.



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?

Painting over it just hides the problem. One of the scenarios is kids
chewing on window sills and ingesting lead. Covering it will not fix that
as it would be chewed through. Sanding is not good. Strippers and scraping
is best, or just replace the trim and be done with it. For adults, it is
not much of a problem living with it.

http://www.epa.gov/Region2/health/leadpoisoning.htm

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

"George E. Cawthon" wrote in message
Mercury? Why would one put mercury in paint?

I think the '57 Mercury had it in that gold trim on the rear fenders.
http://www.lovefords.org/mom/04_07_a.htm

On Mon, 10 Jul 2006 11:00:27 -0400, 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?

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?

Thanks

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

Having lived in apartments in NJ, there is alot of lead paint
(explains the idiots there) and the state requires tenet education. It
seems if lead paint stays where it is, it's safe. Meaning if you
don't eat it, or breath it, it's safe. Infact I was instructed by a
landlord, that if a piece of molding is greater than x inches from a
wall, it had to 'fixed' since that was a chewing potentional for
infants/children. So flat surfaces were repainted with non-lead
paint, and made safer.

So, IMHO, if I owned a home with the potential of lead paint inside, I
would first evaluate the condition of the paint. Is it loose and
flaking? Real threat to children, even if no lead.

Second, identify if you have lead paint. Many companies willl do
simple surveys for a few bucks.

Third, see what items that pose the greatest threat. Like
molding/casements. If a child can get a tooth on it, it can be
scarey.

Not just guessing, since the house I purchased was built after 1970,
by intention.

later,

tom === not a lead expert.