In general, buying an older home comes with risks you may not anticipate if you’re not experienced in home inspections, especially inspections of historic properties. Even if an old house looks good on the surface level and you’re swept away with dreams of living in a beautiful, spacious Victorian house that hails from a more elegant era, it’s impossible to tell if the house poses any risks to your health or harbors structural issues that could mean big trouble in the future without a home inspection from someone who is skilled in assessing the risks of these kinds of purchases.
For a home buyer, preparing for a home inspection is less involved than it would be for a seller. When you contact an inspector, you should ask how comfortable they are with assessing risks in old houses through an interior and exterior inspection. If the house proves to be safe and structurally sound upon inspection, you can go by that inspector’s word or hire a new home inspector for a second opinion for certainty. Even if you’re just renting an old home, skipping an inspection can lead to health issues from outdated toxic materials and relocating due to uninhabitable conditions. A home inspection is your best friend during the buying process.
When you’re planning to purchase a new house or put your existing one on the market, it’s a good idea to have a home inspection conducted. It is also important to have an inspection conducted when you’re planning to rent a house. There are several factors that tend to be evaluated during a standard home inspection, such as determining whether or not there are any plumbing or electrical issues. Roofing inspections are another item on this list as well as checking for termites and other infestations. Another very important item to check for is the presence of lead paint.
When to Check for Lead-Based Paint
If you’re planning to rent or buy a home that was built prior to 1978, there’s a chance that lead paint may be present, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Due to the potential hazards posed to children in particular, having a home inspection is particularly important. Federal law will allow home buyers to have testing conducted to determine if lead-based paint or any other lead-based hazards are present, which includes the presence of lead dust.
There are other situations where you would want to have a lead-based paint inspection. The Environmental Protection Agency states that this includes when you’re planning to remodel your home or engage in any other activities that could disturb existing lead-based paint. It’s possible, for example, that the previous owners either painted or or covered lead-based paint with wood panelling or another type of material. When tearing our walls or old paneling, lead paint chips and dust may be released into the home environment. This can cause serious health issues and lead poisoning.
The Environmental Protection Agency reports that you would also want to have an inspection if your child has already been diagnosed with lead poisoning. When a child receives this diagnosis, it is usually from being exposed to deteriorating lead paint and dust. While children may come into contact with these toxic substances within their own homes, it is also possible that they were exposed at another person’s home, at school, or another setting.
Conducting a Risk Assessment
In order to be legal and thorough, an on-site assessment must be performed by a certified risk assessor, as indicated by the Environmental Protection Agency. The primary goal of a risk assessment is to determine whether or not lead paint is present and if so, to what degree. If located, the type and severity of any lead paint needs to be fully assessed for potential dangers. In addition to interior locations, a certified risk assessor will also determine whether or not there is any lead in a home’s surrounding soil.
Conducting Lead Abatement
After a risk assessment has been completed, potential and existing homeowners will receive a report. At this time, the risk assessor and/or abatement contractor will discuss the report and assist the individuals involved with deciding how to proceed.
The Environmental Protection Agency states that there are two basic options. The first option is to eliminate the hazard with abatement, and the second is to keep the lead paint in place. When the paint is kept in place, it needs to be inspected by a specialist on a regular basis. This takes into consideration that there may be another coat of paint on top of the lead-based paint, which needs to be maintained on a regular basis. As previously stated, it is essential that only lead-safe certified home contractors work on your house.
Learn More About Home Inspection Services
As outlined above, there are a variety of situations that call for having a home inspection. If you even suspect that some or all of your home’s paint is lead-based, your and your family’s health may be at risk.
When your home has sustained damage due to inclement weather, you may have some roof damage. In some instances, damaged roofs and sidings may reveal lead paint on the interior or exterior of your home. When you consult with a contractor for roofing repair or any other repairs or remodels, remember to make sure that they are a lead-safe certified contractor.
