Who to Contact If Your Property Has Lead

As the property owner, you have the ultimate responsibility for the safety of your family, tenants, or children in your care. This means properly preparing for the renovation and keeping persons out of the work area. It also means ensuring the contractor uses lead-safe work practices.

Federal law requires that contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb painted surfaces in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978 be certified and follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination. The following activities require a certified contractor: remodeling, repair/maintenance, electrical work, plumbing, painting preparation, carpentry, and window replacement.

Make sure your contractor is certified, and can explain clearly the details of the job and how the contractor will minimize lead hazards during the work. You can ask to see a copy of the contractor's firm certification.

• Ask if the contractor is trained to perform lead-safe work practices and to see a copy of their training certificate.
• Ask them what lead-safe methods they will use to set up and perform the job in your property
• Ask for references from at least three recent jobs involving homes built before 1978, and speak to each personally

Always make sure the contract is clear and how the work will be set up, performed, and cleaned.

• Share the results of any previous lead tests with the contractor.
• You should specify in the contract that they follow the work practices described in Follow Safe Work Practices and After the Work is Done.
• The contract should specify which parts of your home are part of the work area and specify which lead-safe work practices will be used in those areas. Remember, your contractor should confine dust and debris to the work area and should minimize spreading that dust to other areas of the home.
• The contract should also specify that the contractor will clean the work area, verify that it was cleaned adequately, and re-clean it if necessary.

If you think your worker is not doing what he or she is supposed to do or is doing something that is unsafe, you should

• Direct the contractor to comply with regulatory and contract requirements.
• Call your local health or building department, or
• Call EPA's hotline 1-800-424-LEAD (5323)

The following housing or activities are excluded from having to use a certified contractor:

• Housing built in 1978 or later
• Housing specifically 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 declared lead-free by a certified inspector or risk assessor.
• Minor repair and maintenance activities that disturb 6 square feet (in DC it’s 2 square feet) or less of paint per room inside, or 20 square feet or less on the exterior of a home or building. (Note: Window replacement, and partial and full demolition activities, always require a certified contractor to perform the work regardless of square footage.  Activities designated as “prohibited” are prohibited regardless of square footage.)

Find a certified contractor in your area.