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…What does this mean for you?

Well, there are a couple of changes that are quickly coming down the line regarding homes that were built before 1978.  If you own a home that falls in the category of homes that were built before 1978, which is the year all lead-based paints were banned from residential use, your home is considered a “target” home for possibly containing some form of lead-based paint, primer or other surface coating.  This is a federal law that has been in the works for over 18 years.  After many years of research and studies into the quantity of lead-based paint contamination in homes as well as the health effects on the homes occupants- specifically children 6 and under, this refined legislation passed into law in the middle of 2008, and is now going to be enforced starting on April 22nd, 2010.  So again, what does this mean for you if like many of us (including me!) you own a home built before January 1st, 1978?

Well, first, if you intend on having ANY sort of work done in or on your home, you’ll want to pay close attention to what is being done, and how much will be done.  For example, if you’re replacing all of your windows, that will require you seeking out a contractor/window installer that has taken and passed the EPA Certified Renovator class and is working for an EPA registered firm.  They will need to do testing on your home to confirm that there is or is not lead present in any areas where they will be disturbing existing surfaces (in this case, window casement trim).  If you plan on doing any sort of interior remodeling that will involve moving, cutting holes into any walls or re-surfacing any area that is greater than six square feet, you must use an EPA Certified Renovator working for an EPA registered firm.  This is the same for the outside of a home, though the area of disturbance is greater.  If you’re just replacing a door, you should be fine.  However, if you’re replacing siding or if you’re repainting the exterior and the area you’re working with is greater than twenty square feet, you must use an EPA Certified Renovator working for an EPA registered firm.  Sense the pattern here?

This law also applies to our line of work.  For example, we frequently find ourselves cutting-in flush-mount speakers in ceilings and in walls.  If we’re installing more than 6 pairs of speakers (assuming an average cutout of 8.5″ for a 6.5″ speaker), we must also comply with this new law and be an EPA certified firm with at least one EPA certified installer.  Fortunately, we have taken the time and effort to put one of our guys (me) through the class, and have filed the paperwork with the EPA to register Integration Controls as a Certified Renovator, Restoration and Painting firm with a trained, certified installer on staff.

There will undoubtedly be contractors that will operate as they always have, and will choose to ignore this law, and write it off as just another unenforcable federal piece of … well, you know what.  However, keep in mind several things when choosing how you will proceed when planning for a project where this may be an isssue:

• First, if a contractor is found to be in violation of this law, either by not being certified or by not performing their work to proper safety standards, they are subject to an immediate $32,000 fine per violation.  This alone could put some contractors out of business, and you may be left with an incomplete job that even worse, could be an unsafe and poisonous work area.
• Second, if a contractor knowingly violates this law, they could be subject to additional fines on top of the initial infraction, and are they subject to possible criminal charges.  Again, as above, you could be left with an nasty unfinished project.
• Third, there is the potential that homeowners could even be fined if they knowingly contracted with an unlicensed contractor (NOTE: as of the writing of this, this is NOT in the current legislation, but it is in serious consideration for being added to help protect compliant contratcors).

As a personal note, as I sat through the day-long training class I had to take to test for my certification, I heard a LOT of complaining from many of the contractors present.  Most of those present were general contractors- I was the only low voltage contractor in this particular class.  It was disheartening to hear how there was so much complaining and moaning about having much of a pain this will be to comply with this.  It didn’t seem to enter into many of these contrators’ minds that they were really trivializing what could be a huge health hazard.  A health hazard that not only could seriously affect the health and well being of their clients and the clients’ families, but also the well being of the contrators’ own families.  Lead poisoning is NOT a joke, and should be carefully addressed if you happen to have any present.

Please give us a call if you have any questions regarding how this may affect you.  You can also visit the EPA’s website regarding lead in paint, dust and soil- www.epa.gov/lead