Quote:
Originally Posted by Belmont Resident
Homeowners a law was passed last year making it mandatory that any house built prior to 1978 be tested for lead paint before work can be done.
Failure to have a lead certified contractor performing the work could result in a fine of $35,000 levied on the contractor as well as a stop work order placed on the job.
This law applies to any work that is done to your home including plumbing, electrical, painting, and general contracting that disturbs the paint by cutting into it or scraping it off.
Regardless of weather you know there is or isn’t lead paint if it was built before 1978 it must be tested and the documentation must be in hand to prove this was done.
The funny thing is none of this applies if the actual homeowner performs the work themselves unless it is rental property, then you fall under the same guidelines as being a contractor yourself.
Good luck.
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for the most part this post is true. this law aka "redtape" protects children below the age of 6 years old. lead paint was made illegal prior to 1978, because research proved that young developing children could not could not purge high lead levels, because required organs were still developing, and most of this heavy metal was being stored in the brain. much of the research was taking place at state residential schools, where children had been filed away, and given the title of being "mentally retarded". the paint was not removed from shelves, yet lead additives were readily available, and yes people did mix them with paint. lead paint was is probably the best paint ever developed lasting well over 100 years prior to chipping and cracking. lead based paint rarely peels off. if your paint has signs of simetrical cracking similar to a car windshield/safety glass, it may have a lead component. it is possible for lead paint to have a lower level of toxification, therefore the testing comes into play, and with caution a contractor and/or homeowner may disturb it. using a simple hepa filtured vacum will capture most of the dust. it is the higher leveled dust that is toxic, and provides a quik contamination to the the bloodstream by way of the lungs. the homeowner without tenants could easily migrate the dust to a neighbors yard/sandbox. while never actually tasting it, researchers claim that the lead has sweet/candy type flavor, and that under age six children have fairly mature tast buds. this law became federal, because many states considered the research ( it started research in the 50's) to be "redtape". without younger than 6 children living in the dwelling, i believe only the areas being disturbed, have to be tested, with follow-up dust samples taken at completion of renovation. it is usually only the unlicensed contractors that complain about this process. given the high cost of labor and materials now days, its a small price to pay to protect the grandchildren and the innocent child next door. my 2 cents.