COMMENT OF THE DAY: OH, AND WATCH OUT FOR THOSE AREAS NEAR THE SHIP CHANNEL TOO “If you are looking inside the loop at places like Eastwood or just outside the loop at places like Oak Ridge and Westbury, be careful that your house is at least 1000 feet from any highways. Living within 1000 feet of a major highway can expose your children to serious air quality issues in addition to what we already have to endure in Houston. Also, make sure that you get the house tested for lead paint and be ready to have some cash on hand to do some work to remediate any lead paint on the interior and any lead paint that is coming off on the exterior. I always thought that I was being overly cautious when I had my house remediated before moving in. But one day I had my then 4 month old baby on the changing table and watched as he scratched the paint on the wall with his finger and then put his finger in his mouth . . .” [Old School, commenting on Crazy for the Inner Loop]
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While there is nothing wrong with testing for lead paint (better safe than sorry), the fact is that there was very little lead paint used in Houston. Houston’s humid climate caused the lumber used in building houses to have a high moisture content. Oil based paints would trap the moisture, which would then cause the paint to bubble and peel. Water based paints adhered much better in this climate. Therefore, there is little lead paint on Houston homes.
Of course, very little does not mean none. But, there is not a big risk of lead poisoning in Houston homes, especially if the existing paint is properly prepared and repainted.