Lead-Safe Remodeling and Painting

Remodeling, renovation, and routine maintenance are all activities that can create lead hazards. Whether you are a do-it-yourselfer, property owner, property manager, or professional contractor, it is important for you to know about, and to practice lead-safe work practices methods when remodeling, painting or performing maintenance on homes built before 1978.

As a general rule, the older the home, the greater the chance that it will have lead based paint. Structures built before 1950 frequently have a good deal of lead paint. However, lead was added to house paint until 1978 when the Consumer Product Safety Commission restricted the amount of lead that can be added to paint.

Resources

How To's

Steps to Lead Safe Renovation, Repair and Painting (pdf) - Booklet from the EPA that includes detailed steps on how to be lead-safe when you remodel or paint.

Lead-Safe Certified Guide to Renovate Right (pdf) - Information from the EPA for families, child care providers and schools.

Testing Your Home for Lead in Paint, Dust, and Soil - Guides from the US Housing and Urban Development on testing your home for lead.

Testing for Lead

If you are interested in hiring a certified lead-based paint professional to test your home, refer to our List of Certified Lead-Paint Abatement Firms (pdf).

Hiring a Remodeling Contractor

The Oregon Construction Contractor's Board licenses "Lead Safe" contractors for home renovation, repair or painting. View their list of Lead Safe contractors.

Visit our educational materials page for more information on working lead-safe and preventing lead poisoning.

Managing lead hazards

Lead-safe remodeling is important for...

Do-It-Your-Selfers

Protect your property, your health and your family
Property owners protect your investment and avoid liability

Remodeling Professionals

Avoid liability and protect your good business name
Promote a 'value-added' service

Property Managers

Protect your property
Maintain livability and avoid liability

Schools and Child Care Providers

Protect children in your care
Avoid liability
Keep parent trust

Analyzing Samples for Lead

Certified lead inspectors and risk assessors are required to send environmental lead samples to a lab accredited under the National Lead Laboratory Accreditation Program (NLLAP). These labs have demonstrated the ability to accurately analyze paint chip, dust, or soil samples for lead. For more information, visit the National Lead Laboratory Accreditation Program website.

Notification Requirements for Contractors and Landlords

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires all contractors or landlords working on homes built before 1978 to provide consumers and tenants with pre-renovation notification concerning the hazards of lead-based paint.

This regulation requires that:

Contractors or landlords provide clients with the EPA's pamphlet "Renovate Right" (pdf).
The contractor or landlord must also have the client sign a confirmation form (pdf) documenting that the pamphlet was received.

See the pre-renovation fact sheet (pdf) for more information, or contact us with questions.

Brochures for Landlords and Tenants

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Lead-Safe Remodeling and Painting

Resources

Managing lead hazards

Notification Requirements for Contractors and Landlords

See Also