Managing lead poisoning risks on a San Francisco residential property

The risk is high.  There may be three types of lead hazards on your property—paint, soil, and dust hazards. The source of these hazards is the leaded paint.  About 80% of the housing in San Francisco has leaded paint.  You can assume that a building built before 1979 contains lead paint.  The lead in the paint may contaminate the soil and produce lead-contaminated dust.

Water is a minor source of lead poisoning in San Francisco.  Lead found in the water may come from faucets, hose bibs, and the pipes inside the building.  The Water Department can guide property owners to test the water and find the source of lead. 

It is not illegal to have lead on your property, but the San Francisco Health Code does not allow lead hazards on your property.  

Property owners can prevent lead hazards on their property by:

1. Maintaining  the property in good condition, and
2. Performing remodeling, repairs, and other construction work without creating lead hazards.

On an on-going basis

• Maintain the interior and exterior paint intact and in good condition.  An intact top paint layer will cover up the bottom layers of lead paint.  This will prevent children from touching old paint. Intact paint will prevent flaking paint from becoming lead dust and contaminating soil.
• Ensure that windows and doors open smoothly and do not stick.  Sticky windows and doors produce lead dust on windowsills and floors. The best way to solve this problem is to replace old painted windows and door parts.
• Maintain a soil cover.  This will reduce the chances of children and pets touching leaded soil. Laying down grass, cement, or several inches of new lead-free topsoil are common ways to cover the soil. Ask a landscape or gardening professional what would be best for your area. 

Repairs, renovations, and painting

Almost every repair, renovation, or painting job in a pre-1979 home will produce a lead poisoning risk.  Property owners must ensure that the work does not produce lead dust. (Warning:  Cleaning lead contamination from construction work will be laborious and costly.) 

Property owners do not need to test the paint before maintenance and construction work. The work must follow federal, state, and the San Francisco Building Code.

The federal law requires the use of a certified (EPA) firm for bigger jobs. However, jobs of all sizes must follow San Francisco requirements. Property owners may want to hire contractors with an additional California certification. These contractors have received more thorough training and examination.

The property owners can also decrease the chances of lead poisoning for the occupants by:

• Ensure that contractor provides the federal and local notifications before the work begins. The occupants can then do their part to protect themselves.
• Creating a separate pathway for the contractors to go from the work area to the outside.
• Turning off the HVAC systems and cover openings.

The above requirements also apply to owners and building maintenance staff who work on their buildings. Resources to do lead-safe work are available (Chinese, Filipino, and Spanish).

Property owners in certain zip codes can apply to a City program to reduce and eliminate lead risks.

Owners and rental property managers have an important role in protecting the health of their tenants. The Environmental Protection Agency outlines the requirements for real estate disclosures.