Lead based paint inspection in homes built prior to 1978

Homes built 1978 or before might have lead-based paint in them. In general this is not a problem, however parts of the paint can chip and drop to the floor.  There kids might pick them up and eat them - this way lead gets into the digestive system of a person. Back in the days nobody knew about this, however now it is clear that lead can cause a number of hazardous problems for your health. Children can be struck by growth disturbances and headaches. Adults are also not immune against it. High amounts of lead can be associated with high blood pressure and digestive problems.

Before you buy an older home you have to know about the potential risks. You might get rid of the problem just by getting rid of the paint. This, however, should be done by a certified company, as during the process of scraping it off dust will develop and inhaling it gets us back to the hazardous consequences. Maybe you can even leave it as it is and just add a sealing layer on top of it.

Therefore homes built 1978 or before should be checked for that. In case the inspection reveals lead-based paint and disposing of it would eat up too much money you can within the home inspection period cancel the contract.