Get the Lead Out!

If you’re not involved in residential remodeling, you're probably unaware that, come April 22nd of this year, the EPA has a BUNCH of new rules concerning lead that we remodelers have to follow. The powers that be have decided that now is the time to get serious about reducing the hazards of lead paint in our nations housing stock.

Houses built before 1978 are deemed those most likely to contain lead paint. Renovating those houses can, and often does send lead laden dust scattering around the house. Not good for kids, certainly, and for anyone else, for that matter.

Today in class, we learned various ways to mitigate this problem; proper use of plastic sheeting, HEPA vacuums, clean up techniques and so on. We even did a few exercises with plastic and tape in class. None of this was particularly new, save for the use of HEPA vacuums. Most techniques were more involved variants of things that responsible remodelers have been doing all along.

I came away from the class with a better idea of what I, as a remodeler, need to do to protect both my clients and my workers. In that sense, the class was worthwhile (if a bit expensive, at $225). Cynic that I am though, I have a few things to say.

First, for the privilege of registering with the EPA as “Lead Certified Renovators”, we must pay another $300…this time to Uncle Sam. That $300 will, presumably, pay for the enforcement apparatus that will fine us up to $36,500 for various and sundry violations of the new law.

Now I’m all for hammering the scofflaw but, if history is any guide, enforcement on average residential projects will be rare. We’ll have the occasional crucifixion of some deserving jackleg but, for most of us (the ones that play by the book anyway) the only impact on our business will be the added expense of new vacuums, at $500 a pop, the added cost of taping and sheeting the absolute bejeezus out of everything, and the cost and attendant time suck of documenting every strip of tape we apply and how well we “gooseneck tied” our trash bags.

Again, this is stuff that, in one form another, we already do. Now though, we have the added pleasure of waiting for the dreaded knock at the door. We also have the pleasure of knowing that we just gave tort lawyers another stick...make that baseball bat, to beat the financial stuffing out of us with, should we fail to dot every “i” and cross every “t”. What is it they say about terrorists? We have to get it right all the time, but they only have to get it right once.

Now comes time to sell all of this to you, the homeowner. Seeing as how, come April 22nd, anyone who doesn’t have their certification in order will be a criminal, it should be easy for us law abiding guys to set ourselves apart, right? I mean, you wouldn’t knowingly hire a criminal to work on your house, would you? And when we come to you and explain that abiding by the law is going to cost us, hence YOU more money, you’ll see the value in that, won’t you? Sure you will. I mean really, what price can you put on your family’s safety?

Actually, I’m sure it will make a difference to some of you, but I know from experience that to many, it won’t. I’d like to think that those people are not my clients; that everyone wants what is best. I don’t know though. Right now I feel like all of this is giving “Joe Pickup Truck” a subsidy at my expense; making his price seem even lower as I inevitably have to raise mine. I play by the rules and I believe in the rules, but, in an industry with such low barriers to entry and in which so few are even acquainted with, let alone committed to obeying them, I don’t think this new law is going to have the intended effect.

Those of us who are diligent, who care, who belong to NARI, who commit ourselves to continuing education…..well, we’ll do what we are told. We will do our best to keep our clients safe and to explain what we’re doing and why. “Joe Pickup Truck” isn’t going to change though and, seeing as how he probably makes up a large percentage of remodelers as a whole, the lead dust will still fly. I hope I’m wrong, but I don’t think so.

Anyway, for those that are interested in all of this, go to http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovation.htm for more information.