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Lead-Safe Remodeling and Painting

Remodeling, renovation, and routine maintenance are all activities that can create lead hazards. Whether you are a do-it-yourselfer, property owner, property manager, or professional contractor, it is important for you to know about, and to practice lead-safe work practices methods when remodeling, painting or performing maintenance on homes built before 1978.

As a general rule, the older the home, the greater the chance that it will have lead based paint. Structures built before 1950 frequently have a good deal of lead paint. However, lead was added to house paint until 1978 when the Consumer Product Safety Commission restricted the amount of lead that can be added to paint.

Resources

How To's

Testing for Lead

Hiring a Remodeling Contractor

Visit our educational materials page for more information on working lead-safe and preventing lead poisoning.

Managing lead hazards

Lead-safe remodeling is important for...

Do-It-Your-Selfers

  • Protect your property, your health and your family
  • Property owners protect your investment and avoid liability

Remodeling Professionals 

  • Avoid liability and protect your good business name
  • Promote a 'value-added' service

Property Managers

  • Protect your property
  • Maintain livability and avoid liability

Schools and Child Care Providers

  • Protect children in your care
  • Avoid liability
  • Keep parent trust

Analyzing Samples for Lead

Certified lead inspectors and risk assessors are required to send environmental lead samples to a lab accredited under the National Lead Laboratory Accreditation Program (NLLAP). These labs have demonstrated the ability to accurately analyze paint chip, dust, or soil samples for lead. For more information, visit the National Lead Laboratory Accreditation Program website.


Notification Requirements for Contractors and Landlords

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires all contractors or landlords working on homes built before 1978 to provide consumers and tenants with pre-renovation notification concerning the hazards of lead-based paint.

This regulation requires that:

See the pre-renovation fact sheet (pdf) for more information, or contact us with questions.

Brochures for Landlords and Tenants