The Metro East has a lot of older housing, and many homes in Belleville and the surrounding towns were built long before 1978, the year lead-based paint was banned for residential use. If that describes your home, here’s what you should know before any painting project that involves scraping, sanding or removing old paint.
Why 1978 matters
Lead-based paint that is intact and in good condition isn’t an immediate hazard. The risk comes when it’s disturbed: scraping, sanding, cutting or demolition can create lead dust and chips. Lead dust is especially dangerous to young children and pregnant women, and it can settle on floors, windowsills and soil where it’s easily ingested.
The EPA’s Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule
Since April 22, 2010, federal law has required that contractors performing paid renovation, repair or painting work that disturbs paint in pre-1978 homes and child-occupied facilities (like daycares) be EPA certified and follow lead-safe work practices.
The rule applies when a job disturbs more than:
- 6 square feet of painted surface per room inside, or
- 20 square feet of painted surface outside,
and in some cases, such as window replacement or demolition, regardless of size.
What a certified contractor does differently
- Gives you the EPA’s Renovate Right pamphlet before work begins.
- Contains the work area with plastic sheeting, closes off doors and vents, and keeps dust from spreading.
- Avoids prohibited practices such as open-flame burning, or power sanding and grinding without HEPA-filtered dust collection.
- Cleans thoroughly with HEPA vacuums and wet cleaning, and verifies the area is clean before calling the job done.
Why it matters when you hire a painter
A contractor who isn’t certified, or who skips the lead-safe steps, can leave lead dust behind in your home long after the job is finished. Hiring a certified firm protects your family, your pets and your neighbors, and it’s the law.
Perfection Painting is an EPA Lead-Safe Certified Renovator. If your home was built before 1978, we’ll talk through how we’ll handle your project during your free estimate.
This article is general information, not legal or medical advice. For more detail, see the EPA’s lead resources at epa.gov/lead.