Government Requirements and Lead Paint Certifications

Government regulations and guidelines regarding lead paint are serious business when it comes to your home. There are severe fines and penalties for improper handling and removal of lead-based materials during home construction projects, and more importantly, proper removal of materials containing lead—or even potentially containing lead—will keep your family safe from lead poisoning. At Renaissance Windows and Doors we aren’t just committed to protecting your family, through certification and proper removal guidelines, we are committed to giving you the information you need to understand why this issue is so important.

About Lead

Lead is a toxic metal which can cause a wide range of negative health effects from behavioral problems to learning disabilities, to seizures, even to death in high enough levels. Children under the age of six are particularly at risk from the effects of lead, which can build up in their systems quickly. Lead can enter the body by breathing in particles or by ingesting lead particles, or materials containing lead. In children the effects of lead poisoning range can include headaches, hearing damage, brain and nervous system damage, slowed growth, or death. Adults are also at risk, with lead poisoning having the potential to cause reproductive problems, high blood pressure, nerve disorders, memory/concentration problems, and muscle/joint pain. 

Government Lead Guidelines

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has an extensive online resource regarding lead and lead safety. Here are some of the pertinent points you need to know regarding lead regulations and your home.

Renovating, repairing, painting a home built prior to 1978

Starting April 22, 2010 federal law requires contractors performing renovation, repair, and/or painting in a structure built prior to 1978, which disturbs more than six square feet of paint, to be certified and trained to follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.

Buying or renting a home built before 1978

Anyone buying or renting a home that was built before 1978 must be notified, according to federal law, of certain things before purchase/rent: Landlords must disclose information on lead-based paint/hazards before the lease takes effect, and the lease must include a disclosure form; sellers must disclose information on lead-based paint/hazards before selling a house, and sales contracts must include disclosure information—in addition, buyers have up to 10 days to check for lead hazards.

Lead Certification and Home Renovation

All home renovators are required by law to be trained by an EPA-accredited training provider. EPA Lead Certification makes your home renovation project safer for you, and for your family. All of our installers at Renaissance are certified for the handling of lead paint. This means our installers have passed certification classes, but beyond that they know, understand and exceed industry standards for window and door installation. In spite of the strict federal guidelines, some installers do not follow the letter of the law; we think the cost of that is too high—and we don’t just mean the steep fines incurred for failing to use certified installers and safe practices dictated by federal guidelines. We think that the risk to your family’s health is too high a price to pay, which is why we only use trained and certified installation experts.

Your home and your family are your priority, and when you choose Renaissance Windows and Doors for your home renovation projects, they become ours, too.