The dangers of lead in older homes despite regulatory developments

Lead is a material that was widely used in the construction of industrial buildings and homes before the 1950s. It is present in paint, water and gas pipes or certain sealing elements. It is a pollutant that is very present in the environment and an industrial toxin.

Its presence in many older homes is a real problem, particularly in regions rich in architectural heritage such as Normandy.

What is the lead diagnostic for and in which cases is it mandatory?

The lead diagnostic or CREP (Lead Exposure Risk Assessment) has the simple objective of identifying the presence of lead in various elements of a property, such as coverings or pipes.

This toxic metal is generally present in the paints of homes that were built before 1949. If lead is ingested or inhaled, it can represent a health risk and cause an illness that mainly affects pregnant women and young children: lead poisoning.

In Normandy, many homes are affected in the old town centres of cities such as Caen, Alençon or Le Havre.

How can you discover whether or not there is lead in your home or premises?

Call on experienced diagnosticians who can act quickly at your property and carry out a lead diagnostic.

There are various cases in which this diagnostic is mandatory:

• When selling a home built before 1 January 1949,
• When putting an old home up for rent,
• Before carrying out renovation work,
• Before demolishing a property,
• In certain specific buildings receiving the public (nurseries, schools, etc.).
  A lead diagnostic must be planned if none has been carried out beforehand. If no presence of
  lead is detected during the expert’s visit, the lead diagnostic is valid for life. Otherwise, it is valid for 1 year for sale and 6 years for rental.

A lead diagnostic must be planned if none has been carried out beforehand. If no presence of
lead is detected during the expert’s visit, the lead diagnostic is valid for life. Otherwise, it is
valid for 1 year for sale and 6 years for rental.

Lead present in older homes, an underestimated risk

Many older buildings have lead-contaminated coverings. This is notably the case for many homes built before the 1950s in Normandy.
Indeed, until 1949, lead-based paints were very common and used for their durability. These paints, if they are sanded, if they are scraped or if they flake off during work or due to dilapidation, will release toxic dust.

Lead can also make up pipes in older homes (built before 1995, for example), and can then contaminate the drinking water, which poses a major health risk for the occupants of the home.

Lead poisoning is known as saturnism and it poses a major risk to the health of pregnant women and young children, a population that is highly vulnerable to this material.

For the rest of the population, the health risks are not non-existent! But one must be faced with a stronger exposure to lead.

Without a lead diagnostic, the occupants of the building are therefore exposed to poisoning.

Childhood lead poisoning, the dangers of lead in children

Following the ingestion or inhalation of lead via dust coming from the paints of an old home, it is very likely to face cases of lead poisoning.

Children are more affected because of their behaviour (playing on all fours on the floor, putting objects in their mouth, etc.). Currently, there are nearly 500 cases of childhood lead poisoning per year. Recent assessments have notably demonstrated the presence of childhood lead poisoning in our region. This illness can have consequences on a child’s cognitive and psychomotor development.

In Normandy, older homes sometimes contain lead-based paints or are sometimes damp and poorly insulated. All these characteristics can promote the deterioration of the paints and thus make lead dust airborne in the home.

A lead diagnostic is a necessary intervention in order to avoid serious consequences in children due to lead poisoning.

Contact a lead-certified property diagnostician at RITMODiag now to arrange an appointment and benefit from a rapid intervention.

The presence of lead during works, the obligations of construction professionals

In addition to the presence of lead in coverings or pipes, it is essential to take into account the risks of contamination during renovation or demolition work.

It is mandatory to carry out a pre-works lead diagnostic (renovation or demolition) in order to ensure the safety of the building professionals and workers who will be operating on the site and to be able to intervene in complete safety.

Environmental standards can thus be respected and the dispersal of toxic and contaminated dust will be limited.

It is important that craftsmen, project managers or any construction companies are able to include this step in the preparation of their renovation or demolition site.

You can call us to share all your questions with us.

For any lead diagnostic requests, contact RITMODiag now

Are you an owner or a building professional in Normandy? Do not take any risk of lead exposure and contact RITMODiag to benefit from the interventions of our experts.

We act quickly throughout the Normandy region for all your property diagnostics and in particular the lead diagnostic.

Our certified technicians guarantee you transparency and reliability throughout their support.

Contact us today by telephone on 02.31.15.64.88 to find out more about our
services or to obtain a free quote.