{"id":4893,"date":"2025-08-11T02:13:16","date_gmt":"2025-08-11T02:13:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zenwindows.com\/central-pa\/?p=4893"},"modified":"2025-08-11T02:15:40","modified_gmt":"2025-08-11T02:15:40","slug":"lead-safe-replacement-windows","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zenwindows.com\/central-pa\/homeowners-education\/lead-safe-replacement-windows\/","title":{"rendered":"Lead-Safe Window Replacement in Reading\u2019s Pre-1978 Homes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Lead-Safe Window Replacement in Reading\u2019s Pre-1978 Homes<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Reading, Pennsylvania, historic charm is everywhere, especially in the city\u2019s classic row houses. These homes have charm, but if they were built before 1978, they likely contain lead-based paint, particularly around the windows. For families living in these older homes, that poses a serious health risk.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fortunately, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.readingpa.gov\/lead-program\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Reading\u2019s Lead Hazard Control Program<\/a> offers free lead risk assessments and window replacements for eligible households.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Reading\u2019s Lead Hazard Control Program: What You Need to Know<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The City of Reading offers real help through its Lead Hazard Control Program. Funded by HUD and the State of Pennsylvania, the program provides free lead-risk assessments and covers the cost of remediation work, including full window replacement if needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To be eligible, you must:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Reside in the City of Reading<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Live in a property built before 1978<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Have a child under 6 years of age who lives there or visits 60 hours a year<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Have someone who is pregnant living in the home<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Meet HUD income eligibility requirements<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Landlords can apply on behalf of rental properties, which is especially valuable in a city with a large renter population. Once approved, a certified inspector performs a full lead evaluation. This includes dust sampling, paint testing, and inspection of common problem areas like windows and doors. If hazards are found, the city covers the cost of fixing them, which can include new, lead-safe windows installed by trained professionals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why Window Sashes Are a Common Source of Lead Exposure<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In older homes, window sashes are one of the most frequent sources of lead dust. A sash is the part of the window that holds the glass, and most sashes in homes built before 1978 were painted with lead-based paint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When sashes move, they rub against the frame. This friction wears down the paint and creates fine lead dust. Even if the paint looks intact, regular use can still cause dust to form. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/lead\/hazard-standards-and-clearance-levels-lead-paint-dust-and-soil-tsca-sections-402-and-403\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies windows as high-risk<\/a> areas for this reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lead dust tends to settle on nearby surfaces like window sills and floors. Since the particles are so small, they\u2019re easy to miss but just as easy for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/lead-prevention\/about\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">children<\/a> to come into contact with. When kids put their hands in their mouths, that dust can enter their system and lead to serious health issues, including learning problems and developmental delays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Replacing old windows is one of the most effective ways to reduce lead exposure in a home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Window Options That Match Your Home\u2019s History<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Replacing your windows doesn\u2019t mean giving up your home\u2019s character. At Zen Windows, we offer a variety of styles and frame colors that complement the look of Reading\u2019s older row homes, without the lead paint risks that come with the originals. Whether you want classic <a href=\"https:\/\/zenwindows.com\/central-pa\/windows\/window-types-styles\/double-hung-windows\/\">double-hung windows<\/a> or something more <a href=\"https:\/\/zenwindows.com\/central-pa\/windows\/window-types-styles\/special-shape-windows\/\">custom<\/a>, we can match the aesthetic while bringing your home up to modern safety standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All windows are installed using EPA-compliant lead-safe work practices under the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/lead\/lead-renovation-repair-and-painting-program\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule<\/a>. Our team is trained to handle projects in homes built before 1978, taking every precaution to reduce exposure to lead dust during removal and installation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Zen Windows Central PA makes the process simple, safe, and stress-free. No sales pressure, no mess, and no cutting corners. Just <a href=\"https:\/\/zenwindows.com\/central-pa\/windows\/window-installation\/\">high-quality windows installed the right way<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lead-Safe Window Replacement in Reading\u2019s Pre-1978 Homes In Reading, Pennsylvania, historic charm is everywhere, especially in the city\u2019s classic row houses. These homes have charm, but if they were built before 1978, they likely contain lead-based paint, particularly around the windows. For families living in these older homes, that poses a serious health risk.&nbsp; Fortunately,<a class=\"excerpt-read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/zenwindows.com\/central-pa\/homeowners-education\/lead-safe-replacement-windows\/\" title=\"ReadLead-Safe Window Replacement in Reading\u2019s Pre-1978 Homes\">&#8230; Read more &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4893","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":1,"label":"Uncategorized"}]},"featured_image_src_large":false,"author_info":{"display_name":"test","author_link":"https:\/\/zenwindows.com\/central-pa\/author\/test\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":1,"name":"Uncategorized","slug":"uncategorized","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":3,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":1,"category_count":3,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Uncategorized","category_nicename":"uncategorized","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zenwindows.com\/central-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4893","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zenwindows.com\/central-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zenwindows.com\/central-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zenwindows.com\/central-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zenwindows.com\/central-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4893"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/zenwindows.com\/central-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4893\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zenwindows.com\/central-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4893"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zenwindows.com\/central-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4893"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zenwindows.com\/central-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4893"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}