Identifying Lead Paint Hazards
Any house built before 1980 and containing any paint, varnish, or plaster could present a hazard to your family. There are certain factors that make your home more likely to be contaminated with lead-based paint.
Older homes are more likely to have lead-based paint. A house built before 1940 has a 90% chance of containing lead paint. One built between 1940 and 1959 has an 80% chance, and a home built between 1960 and 1979 has a 62% chance of containing lead-based paint. 1
Not only are older homes more likely to have lead-based paint, but the concentration of lead in the paint also tends to be higher the older the home is. Before 1950, paint often contained as much as 50% lead. In the mid-1950s, manufacturers decreased the concentration of lead in their paints. In 1955, many paint manufacturers adopted a volun
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