Window Replacement Landmarks Violation?
My one year old has lead poisoning to the point where the city’s health department is involved. After much testing and concern, we determined that the main culprits are our windows, the outside of which are covered with flaking lead paint. We have been replacing them as we can come up with the money. We…
My one year old has lead poisoning to the point where the city’s health department is involved. After much testing and concern, we determined that the main culprits are our windows, the outside of which are covered with flaking lead paint. We have been replacing them as we can come up with the money. We are in the process of filing for permits to change the front and back windows (and to add a deck at the same time to have access to our backyard without having to go through our kids’ room), but it’s been taking a while to get the deck drawings, etc…
In the meantime, we changed the front parlor since they were in the worst condition, flaking paint outside all over where our kids walk and play. We just received a warning letter that the windows are in violation. I assume that one of our neighbors must have told on us, which given that most know about our son’s lead poisoning, is kind of depressing.
anyway, has anybody been in this position and can offer some advice?
thanks!
Unless your child is licking the outside of your windows, there is more than likely another source of the lead poisoning. Have you checked your water? Not just the pipes in your house but the city’s main seervice line in the street.There are alot of these lines that have not been upgraded.
clearly I meant “dry-scraping as stargazer suggests” — sorry.
Stargazer: That is no way to remove lead paint safely. Doing what you suggest could very well have make the problem far worse for this poor child while simultaneously allowing the lead paint to be carried into your neighbors yards too. Your gross ignorance, which is evident not only in your poor understand of lead safety but also your inability to spell correctly, is not helping anyone in this forum.
Pitythefool: I’m so sorry to hear that your child has lead poisoning. Have you had a lead inspector in to advise you on how to prioritize the hazard repair work? We have an old townhouse with a huge amount of lead paint in it and brought in Lou Martinez of Accredited Lead Inspection (based in Port Washington, NY) to assess the work that would need to be done to deal with it safely. His firm not only does assessments but also abatement work, so could they could do the work themselves, including finding a windows contractor for you, or they could advise whatever contractor you’re working with if that person does not have the proper EPA lead certification.
What permits are you waiting for? Landmarks for the front of your house? The process should not be so cumbersome for the back of the house. Our windows also have lead paint on the outside, and we are taking a different approach for the front and back. We are getting new aluminum windows, which are less expensive than wood, for the rear of our house to save money. And we are (still) waiting for Landmarks approval for the wood windows that will replace the lead-painted ones on the front. Our contractor is lead certified and is not dry-scraping, as pitythefool suggests. There are wet processes that prevent the lead dust from dispersing, and proper containment is necessary not only for you, but also for your neighbors.
I realize that climbing through the window isn’t the best way to reach the backyard, but if I were you, I might prefer to climb through a lead-safe aluminum window and put whatever money you have available to dealing with the lead problem.
Stargazer – this is my first post, as your insensitivity inspired me to respond. The main reason I’m posting is I’m astounded you said that. I feel bad for anyone whose children have significant lead exposure and am shocked you took the opportunity to lecture. I realize the anonymity of the internet empowers the weak, but shame on you.
Lots of people don’t realize that the paint happens to be lead paint or really understand the risks. Few people know that children eat lead paint chips because they taste sweet.
PTF – I’m in the process of stripping paint, replacing windows and filing for permits. Assuming you replaced with windows with windows of the same size, shape, material (ie, wood), you should be ok with the permitting process. The only problem is that it takes time to go through landmarks.
Landmarks is concerned with landmarks and nothing else. If you are in a hurry file with LPC for the windows alone.If your installed windows are “landmark approved” that would mean LPC approved them and you got a permit. Replacement without a permit IS a violation. Every window replacement is unique at the LPC, there is no standardized approved window.
Contact LPC right away.You may get someone sympathetic. You may have to replace what you installed. You never know. Prepare yourself this may take a while.
You will not get a DOB permit until your violation is cured or you escrow money.
Did the original poster say anything about a landlord? I think it’s her own home.
Stargazer — you’re being a bit of a dink.
First thing I want to know why is, if your windows were flaking and chipping to the point of falling on the ground where yours and other peoples children walk and play, why didn’t YOU, or pay someone to get on a freaking ladder and scrape them and put at least one coat of paint on them. Maybe then your child wouldn’t have had lead poisoning?????
You mustn’t have been that worried, I know as a parent I would have been up on a ladder scraping the paint chips off, and re paint until I could afford new windows….
Like a tennant complaining her ceiling is pealing and flaking and she is afraid her toddler will eat it, well, stop waiting for the LL to do something, do something yourself, otherwise your not that worried….
ugh !!!
I should add that the new windows are all wood landmarked approved, so it’s not the actual windows that are in violation. we just haven’t gotten the permit yet…
PTF