Lead Paint

If you own a home built before 1978, read the following information:

Our firm CAN NOT remove your lead paint. We recommend you contact a lead testing professional.

Lead paint has terrible health consequences for adults and children alike.

About half of homes built before 1978 have lead-based paint. The likelihood of finding lead-based paint increases with the age of the home:

• Two out of three of homes built between 1940 and 1960 have lead-based paint.
• Nine out of ten homes built before 1940 have lead-based paint.

After April 22nd 2010, renovating your home will become much more complicated and expensive.

 A new federal rule aimed at reducing exposure to toxic lead-paint chips and dust requires renovators to be trained and certified in EPA-approved methods of containing and cleaning up work areas.

The EPA's rules, the Lead Based Paint Renovation, Repair and Painting Program, also referred to as "RRP", affects contractors, property managers, and others who disturb painted surfaces.

It applies to residential houses, apartments, and child-occupied facilities such as schools and day-care centers built before 1978.

It includes pre-renovation education requirements as well as training, certification, and work practice requirements.

See below for some excerpts from the EPA fliers:

Pre-renovation education requirements:

• Contractors, property managers, and others who perform renovations for compensation in residential houses, apartments, and child-occupied facilities built before 1978 are required to distribute a lead pamphlet before starting renovation work.

Training, certification, and work practice requirements:

• Firms are required to be certified, their employees must be trained (either as a certified renovator or on-the job by a certified renovator) in use of lead-safe work practices, and lead-safe work practices that minimize occupants’ exposure to lead hazards must be followed.
• Renovation is broadly defined as any activity that disturbs painted surfaces and includes most repair,
  remodeling, and maintenance activities, including window replacement.

Who Must Follow the Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule’s Requirement?

In general, anyone who is paid to perform work that disturbs paint in housing and child-occupied facilities built before 1978, this may include, but is not limited to:
– Residential rental property owners/managers
– General contractors
– Special trade contractors, including:

• Painters
• Plumbers
• Carpenters
• Electricians

What Activities Are Subject to the Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program?

In general, any activity that disturbs paint in pre-1978 housing and child-occupied facilities, including:

• Remodeling and repair/maintenance
• Electrical work
• Plumbing
• Painting preparation
• Carpentry
• Window replacement

What Housing or Activities Are Excluded and Not Subject to the Rule?

• Housing built in 1978 or later.
• Housing for elderly or disabled persons, unless children under 6 reside or are expected to reside there.
• Zero-bedroom dwellings (studio apartments, dormitories, etc.).
• Housing or components that have been declared lead-free. Such a declaration can be made by a certified inspector or risk assessor. Also, a certified renovator may declare specific components lead-free using an EPA recognized test kit.
• Minor repair and maintenance activities that disturb 6 square feet or less of paint per room inside, or 20 square feet or less on the exterior of a home or building.Note: minor repair and maintenance activities do not include window replacement and projects involving demolition or prohibited practices.

 EPA brochures: 

Protect your family from lead.

Test your home for lead in paint, dust and soil.

Guide to Renovate Right.

Steps to lead safe Renovation, Repair and Painting