The EPA wants contractors to get certified.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced last week that it had delayed enforcement of the certification requirement in its new
Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule until October 1. Contractors now have until September 30, 2010, to enroll in training and December 31 to complete it.
The EPA's new Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule,
which took effect in April 2010, requires contractors who work on homes built before 1978 to be certified by a government-approved trainer and follow lead-related safety precautions, such as containing work areas to trap dust and debris.
Many remodeling contractors had expressed concerns about certain aspects of the EPA rule. "I understand the need to protect children and other people susceptible to lead poisoning. The problem is, the EPA is not ready for this rollout," Candi Hilton, owner of New Leaf Construction in Naples, Florida, told us last month.
The National Association of Home Builders cited the need for more trainers and a faster certification process. "We continue to receive calls that remodelers can't find training and are waiting to hear back from the EPA on certification," said Donna Shirey, chairwoman of
NAHB Remodelers.
Contractors also insisted that the expense of following lead-safe practices far exceeds EPA estimates. "They told us it will add an average of $35 per project," said Hilton. "I'm getting ready to start a project where the costs will be closer to $2,500." (In the end, you'll pick up those costs or, to the chagrin of contractors, decide to do the work yourself.)
Such concerns from the building and remodeling industry as well as those from Home Depot, Lowe's, and lawmakers combined with last month's devastating floods in Tennessee and the lack of lead-certified remodelers to make home repairs in that state caused the agency to delay the rule's enforcement.
"EPA listened to our concerns and did the right thing," said NAHB Chairman Bob Jones in a
news release. "We need significantly more contractors certified than the 300,000 who have taken the training course, and we also need to make sure that affected homeowners understand the importance of hiring a certified contractor."
—Daniel DiClerico
Essential information: If you want to check for the presence of lead in areas of your home to be painted, read our
review of lead test kits and see our
ratings of lead test kits. If you're planning to do the painting yourself, read our latest reports on
interior paints and
exterior finishes and use our
advice for a quality painting project.
