Pittsburgh Replacement Windows: The New Federal Lead Paint Law
The Federal Government’s Costly New Lead Law Takes Effect April 22
Homeowners will pay an estimated 5%-10% more on most home improvement projects.
A federal law passed more than two years ago finally takes effect on April 22. That is the date when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will begin enforcing its regulations covering work performed in homes that might possibly contain lead paint. Because the vast majority of houses in western Pennsylvania were built before 1978, this law is set to affect almost every homeowner. The 1978 date is critical because that is when the government finally banned the use of lead-based paints.
If you are concerned about the health of your family, and are planning a remodeling job, you may want to ask your contractor some tough questions about the Environmental Protection Agency’s lead paint regulations. If you own a house built prior to 1978 and are planning a remodeling job, you are risking exposing yourself and your family to toxic lead dust.
Why is there such a fuss about lead paint?
There has been enough medical evidence to show that lead can have a serious effect on young children if it is ingested. Lead can cause blood anemia, muscle weakness, and brain damage, all of which can have lasting effects on mental and physical growth. Children under six years of age are more at risk than older children. Pregnant mothers are also especially susceptible to lead’s toxic effects, which can result in premature birth, low birth weight, and slow childhood development.
Why is lead a concern when remodeling older homes?
If lead paint is present in a home, a remodeler may inadvertently throw lead dust into the air and onto surfaces where it may be picked up and eaten by children.
Even if there are no children present in your house at the time of your remodeling job, lead is still a concern. Lead dust settles and lingers. Lead never decomposes, leaving a risk for your visiting relatives and friends, as well as any future occupants. Lead also binds to soil, so exterior remodeling of your house may result in contamination of your lawn that will remain hazardous for years.
What does this law mean to owners of older homes?
The good news is, by following the right procedures prescribed by the EPA, the risk of lead dust can be minimized. The EPA’s standards have been enacted to drastically reduce the risk your family takes when hiring a contractor to perform work on your home. Processes and procedures have been developed that remodelers and renovators are required to follow. Unfortunately, these mandatory steps will add additional time and materials, and additional costs to many typical home improvement jobs that disturb any painted surface.
Why are there extra costs?
The law requires a contractor to do a lot of additional work. Companies must be approved by the EPA. Individual contractors who directly oversee the project must be trained and certified. All employees will have to be specially trained. Projects will now require more set up, clean-up and tear down work. The amount of paperwork that must be completed will be expanded as well. Special equipment, such as HEPA vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters, must be purchased.
No company can absorb these additional costs without making changes. As a consequence, the cost for this extra work will have to be added as a surcharge to the regular price of each remodeling job. While this surcharge will vary depending upon the type of job being done, it is estimated to be in the 5% to 10% range.
How do I know if my house has lead paint?
Since lead paint was banned by the government in 1978, any home built after that year will not have any lead paint in them. If your home was built beforehand, though, there is a good chance it will contain lead; the older the house, the greater the likelihood that the paint is lead-based. Before beginning work on your home, a contractor has two options: he can test your paint for lead, or he can assume it is lead-based. Depending on the size of the job and the age of your home, a contractor may test. Most, however, will probably go by the adage “better safe than sorry,” and assume that your house contains lead. Testing is expensive, and the time lost by following the regulations will typically be cheaper than performing a test, especially on older homes, which have an 86% chance of containing lead-based paint.
If your house tests negative for lead paint, though, contractors do not have to follow the EPA’s regulations.
What does this law require contractors to do when they work on my home?
First, the contractor will have to educate you on the hazards of lead. They must give you a packet written by the EPA. The contractor will also have to put up warning signs detailing the work being done and the danger of lead in the area.
If your home is assumed to contain lead-based paint, contractors will have to seal the area before performing any work. They will have to lay plastic drop cloths, seal entrances with tape, and clean up the dust with special wipes and a HEPA vacuum. A surface test will have to be performed to ensure that no lead dust remains. It is also recommended that contractors wear respirators and disposable overalls, but this is only to protect themselves. The law does not require that they do, and not doing so does not put your family at risk.
This sounds expensive! How much will it cost me?
Spread out over years, the costs of training, certification, registration, vacuums and exhaust systems are not particularly costly. The real costs arise on the jobsite, and how much will depend on the type of work being done. A kitchen remodeling job, for instance, won’t see too much of an increase. Because the work is being done in a localized area, and it is likely that the contractors were sealing the area with plastic anyhow, the biggest extra expense will be paperwork. For windows, however, where every room in your house may be worked on, this will take a lot of extra material – disposable plastic sheets, tape, and seals. Some estimates put this additional cost at $25-$50 per window. But when considering the time required to seal, clean, and test each area, this could be considerably higher. It will depend on the experience of your contractor and the type of job being done.
Children and pregnant women do not occupy my home – can I bypass the law?
Yes. Right now, the homeowner is allowed to sign a statement that confirms that no children or pregnant women occupy the home. Nevertheless, it is strongly recommended that the requirements not be waived. Though neither children nor pregnant women may occupy the home presently, lead dust is not biodegradable. If you one day pass the house onto your children, or sell it to new owners, you will be placing them at risk.
Am I liable if the contractor does not follow the regulations? No. The company is liable for extreme fines if they are found to not comply with EPA regulations, but the homeowner takes no responsibility. You are not at risk of being prosecuted.
Since I am not liable, can I find a contractor who will ignore the law or just do the work myself?
By not following lead-safe regulations, your contractor puts you and your family at risk. Furthermore, he risks his own business. If discovered by the EPA, he could be put into bankruptcy from their fines. If someone is willing to ignore safety and risk your health to make a few extra bucks, what else are they willing to do? If they don’t follow these regulations, what other laws are they breaking?
Not following the regulations is more than just dangerous – it is disreputable. Someone who refuses to follow laws and thusly endanger your health cannot be counted upon to do the right job. Yes, it requires a bit of extra work – but don’t you want your contractor to go above and beyond for you? When you sign a contract, you are entrusting someone with your greatest investment – your home. Why would you entrust your home to someone who won’t be bothered to meet even the basic legal requirements?
Hiring a company that follows these regulations is the right decision. A company that follows them is interested in their long-term survival. They’ll be there when you need them. A company that follows these regulations is interested in doing the right thing for you. They won’t risk your children’s health for extra profit. Lastly, a company that follows these regulations is responsible. They are true professionals that train their workers and take pride in their labor.
If you want to do the work yourself, you are not required to follow the EPA regulations. For your family, though, please follow them anyway. Seal the workplace, and use a HEPA-certified vacuum. Hiring a contractor with the experience and tools to follow these regulations is the safe choice, and, compared to purchasing the equipment, the economical one. Don’t expose your family, children, or grandchildren to toxic lead to save a few bucks.
Drew Barto - Director of Marketing - Energy Swing Windows & Doors - Murrysville, PA 15668 http://www.energyswingwindows.com
I am the Director of Marketing at Energy Swing Windows of Murrysville, PA. Energy Swing Windows manufactures, sells, and installs unique patented swing-in windows to residents of the Pittsburgh region. We also provide expert installation of steel and fiberglass entry doors, siding, roofing, gutters, soffit & fascia.
Our objective is to deliver value beyond our exceptional products. We believe this begins by building relationships with prospective customers. This relationship building begins by educating potential clients through our website, direct mail literature, and through online outlets.
Personally, I have several years of expert experience in social media marketing, copywriting, producing and directing video productions, video marketing, direct mail creation, graphic design, and the creation of search engine optimized websites.
