joannqn Posted June 12, 2010 Share Posted June 12, 2010 More about the lead in our home. Good news is that I finally found the right person to talk to. I ended up talking directly with the manager of the Washington state lead program. She is very concerned about Madelynn's lead levels. The situation is that there is a program to help homeowners with their lead issues but Tacoma has used up all of their units. However, she had me send in a simple application and contacted Tacoma to look into helping us. The state is modifying their contract with our city to give them another unit (worth $11,000 of lead work) specifically to inspect our house and see what can be done. I spoke to the Tacoma guy and he further clarified that through HUD he can do up to $25,000 of repairs; however, there is a problem. He can use the $11,000 for lead only work but we'd need equity into the house to have access to the rest of the $25,000 which is in loan form (not that we want or can afford a loan). However, we have less than no equity because of a previous refinance several years ago and the economy. Our home has lost $80,000 in value over the last couple of years. So, that puts us in a difficult situation. The other good news is that once I get this application, I'll complete it. Then when we are approved (we will be...it's income based and we are WAY under the limit), he'll come out and inspect our home. Because it is HUD, he has to inspect everything...lead, plumbing, electrical, etc. I'm sure he'll find other problems. Under HUD guidelines, he must fix anything not to HUD standards, but then we get into that whole no equity thing. But, the good news is that we will soon have a complete inspection of our home and know how bad it is. The bad news is that he too is REALLY concerned about Madelynn's lead levels. They are talking about changing the "action point" from 10 down to 5. She's at 3.3 already and levels don't peak until ages 18-24 months (she's only 10 months). He said hitting that action point means the child is hospitalized for blood transfusions. He told me how I should be cleaning. Things like vacuuming and dusting daily. When wet mopping and wet dusting, you wipe one direction only and then clean your cloth in fresh water before wiping the next row. You have the change the water frequently so you don't redeposit the lead to the floor. He also said we need to change our furnace filters every 3 months. This is sounding more and more scary. At what point would you just say, "Enough! I'm moving out," and hand over the keys to the mortgage company? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mynyel Posted June 12, 2010 Share Posted June 12, 2010 I would have moved out already :) :grouphug: I hope things work out for you soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted June 12, 2010 Share Posted June 12, 2010 I would have moved out already :) :grouphug: I hope things work out for you soon! :iagree: :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted June 12, 2010 Share Posted June 12, 2010 Can you afford to move? :grouphug: I'm sorry you're having to deal with this, but I think I'd be looking for another house at all costs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted June 12, 2010 Share Posted June 12, 2010 Time to move. Past time even. A popup trailer might not be fancy, but at least it isn't toxic. (hopefully) I'd be pushing for transfusions now unless my dr could convince me not to. So scary. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnitWit Posted June 12, 2010 Share Posted June 12, 2010 Oh (((((JoAnn)))) Somehow, this is the first I've read of your story. I'm so sorry. What a terribly scary place to be. I am praying for you to have the wisdom regarding what to do. I admit, I would want to move immediately...but with a mortgage, I can DEFINITELY see how that would loom next to impossible, especially in this economy. May the Lord make a way for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elizabeth Posted June 12, 2010 Share Posted June 12, 2010 (edited) http://real-estate.lawyers.com/residential-real-estate/Disclosure-Requirements-for-Home-Sellers.html You might want to consult an attorney if this defect was not disclosed prior to signing the mortgage docs. Look also for environmental attorneys through your state bar association. We had a friend who sued and successfully forced the title company , previous owners and inspectors for failure to disclose lead problems. Then the abatement company royally messed up the removal. Their dd has a liver problem from birth and was highly vulnerable to the problems associated with lead poisoning. I have no other details as they went to an attorney we are not familiar with but I am just throwing this out in caase you were not aware that this could be actionable. I am sorry, this is awful. http://www.oregonrealtors.org/.docs/_sid/aff76c6547d86ba50b6e3a9cf4510d17/pg/10421#LeadBasedPaint a link to oregons model statute there is one in every state. Just google non disclosure of lead based paint througout home and your state it should come right up Edited June 12, 2010 by elizabeth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moxie Posted June 12, 2010 Share Posted June 12, 2010 This is the first I've heard of your problem. Are you saying there is a lot of lead in your house but you don't know where it is? Is it an old or new house? Why is Madelyne the only one with the issue? :grouphug::grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jplain Posted June 12, 2010 Share Posted June 12, 2010 :grouphug: Assuming the equity issue is non-negotiable, I'd let the bank have the house. Even if it could be appealed, I'm not sure I'd be willing to wait. The ongoing risk to a baby would be unacceptable to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver0f10 Posted June 12, 2010 Share Posted June 12, 2010 I'd agree with the others about moving. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLT Posted June 12, 2010 Share Posted June 12, 2010 I'm new here (have been lurking a lot in the last six months), but I had to reply to this topic because I've been there. I don't know your whole story, but my oldest son (now 9 1/2) was diagnosed with lead poisoning at the age of 2. His levels were at 12. Where we lived in Texas at the time offered no assistance for lead remediation at all, and we were basically forced to leave our home and go live with my in-laws. (When the dr called to tell us of his levels she told us to leave immediately, we also had a 9 month old and I was pregnant). We ended up selling the house. I would really encourage you to move if you can. There was lead EVERYWHERE in that house and even in the mini-blinds that were actually manufactured in the 90's! I'm sure you know by now lead hides everywhere. Anyway, I just wanted to offer you my hugs because I know how exhausting and frustrating this can be. It has been a looooong very rough road, that will affect us for the rest of our lives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBM Posted June 12, 2010 Share Posted June 12, 2010 At what point would you just say, "Enough! I'm moving out," and hand over the keys to the mortgage company? Yes, it would really be best to get the little ones out at this point. Maybe you could continue with the abating, but in the meantime, you don't want the kids around while that happens. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted June 12, 2010 Author Share Posted June 12, 2010 Can you afford to move? :grouphug: I'm sorry you're having to deal with this, but I think I'd be looking for another house at all costs. We have no where to go. Our only option would be to come up with the money to move into an apartment and let the mortgage company foreclose. You might want to consult an attorney if this defect was not disclosed prior to signing the mortgage docs. Look also for environmental attorneys through your state bar association. I believe we were given the standard "this home is older than 1978 and may have lead paint" brochure which is the required disclosure when the status is unknown. Years ago, we used a home lead kit to test the paint in several locations and got nothing. Today, we know that the EPA recommends these kits because they are unreliable. It was another one of these home kits that gave me a positive a week ago which lead to testing the kids and the dozen or so called I've made so far. This is the first I've heard of your problem. Are you saying there is a lot of lead in your house but you don't know where it is? Is it an old or new house? Why is Madelyne the only one with the issue? :grouphug::grouphug: The three older kids have lead in their blood, too, but they are less of a concern because their levels are lower (1.4 and 1.5) and they are older. Older kids don't put everything in their mouths. Plus, being older and bigger, are more able to process and move the lead out of their bodies than younger kids. I think she's at a higher level, too, because our house is older and deteriorating more than it was when the others were younger. Plus, we just pulled up 3/4 of the carpet downstairs which is probably full of lead dust. We weren't home during the work but it probably contaminated the house and we didn't know how to clean. I still haven't been able to clean to standards suggested by the EPA. Further, I had started scraping paint off the trim just before I stopped because of a gut feeling I had. I hadn't scraped much but the kids were in the room (and Madelynn was on the floor nearby). The only thing we are doing right now is cleaning. All work has stopped. We've been advised to finish the flooring and move the kids out it is being done and then clean very well before letting them come back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted June 12, 2010 Share Posted June 12, 2010 Before you make a decision about foreclosing, I would wait for the house inspection results. We bought an older (1920s) home when we had infant twins. We had a lead inspection (different than the general home inspection). Our biggest source of lead was from the wooden window frames, which had been painted long ago with lead paint. (Lead is released when the windows are opened and closed.) Wall paint wasn't as big of an issue because the lead was several paint layers down and the paint wasn't peeling. We ended up replacing all of the windows before we moved in. There was also lead in the dirt outside. The suggestion was to add in dirt or mulch to the flowerbeds to dilute the lead. And to avoid letting the kids dig in the flower beds and wash hands thoroughly when we came in. I want to say that a diet high in something (calcium?) inhibits lead absorption. The state where we were living (RI) has big issues with lead in children, so blood tests for lead are a routine part of well-child checks there. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celticmom Posted June 12, 2010 Share Posted June 12, 2010 Someone suggested living in a pop up trailer and I wanted to mention that travel trailers are not a nontoxic enviornment. Some of them have high levels of formaldehyde. Some of the families that lived in them post-Katrina were sickened by the offgassing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted June 12, 2010 Share Posted June 12, 2010 PM'ed you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted June 12, 2010 Share Posted June 12, 2010 I would have moved out already :) :grouphug: I hope things work out for you soon! Me, too. So sorry you are going through this!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted June 12, 2010 Share Posted June 12, 2010 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/lead-poisoning-why-lead-p_b_609383.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim in Appalachia Posted June 12, 2010 Share Posted June 12, 2010 Know that if you took up the carpets and you have wood floors, the finish on the floor probably also has lead in it. You are better off putting new carpet, or some other type of flooring over the wood. If you have the wood refinished make sure they follow lead protocol. I'm sorry you're dealing with this. We live in a home built in 1902. It seems like the walls have always had paper on them, and the outside has been covered with siding. All of the exposed windows have been replaced. The floors still have carpet but the floors underneath are a problem. Old homes have lots of issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachin'Mine Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 I'd be inclined to get out with the children to a relatives house - or anywhere for that matter. Wash everything - including their clothing and sneakers to remove any traces - especially anything the baby uses - crib, toys, etc.. Why not go ahead and have the inspection so you can have more information before you and your husband make a decision on whether to work with the house, or just get out. If it's beyond what you can afford to fix, or just too many of the systems are in need of updating, then getting out to a rental, or even an RV would be the way I'd go. I'm praying for all of you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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