Final answer:
The owners of properties built before 1978 should be concerned about the possibility of lead paint contamination as lead-based paint was banned by the U.S. government for use in housing in 1978.
Step-by-step explanation:
The owners of properties built before 1978 should be concerned about the possibility of lead paint contamination.
Lead-based paint was banned by the U.S. government for use in housing in 1978. However, many older homes still have this paint underneath newer layers, especially those built before 1978.
In fact, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 87% of homes built before 1940 have lead-based paints, 69% of homes built between 1940 and 1959 have lead-based paints, and only 24% of homes built from 1960-1977 have lead-based paints.