Warning: New Lead-Safe Regulation Affecting Home Improvement Costs

According to a June 22, 2012 ruling of the D.C Court of Appeals, homeowners will not be able to opt out of lead safe procedures during renovations, such as window replacement, repairs and painting of their home.

What does this mean for my family?
The National Association of Home Builders supported a measure to allow homeowners the choice to “opt out” of lead safe procedures if no children or pregnant women were living at a home that tested positive for lead paint.  By opting out, the homeowner would release the construction company from the mandate to follow lead safe procedures and save the added expense of these measures.  The D.C. Court of Appeals ruled that the EPA can remove the “Opt-Out Amendment” and require all home improvement projects follow lead safe procedures if a home tested positive for lead.

• “In a settlement EPA entered into with healthy housing and environmental advocates in August 2009, EPA agreed to conduct three additional rulemakings, two of which substantially amended the Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting ("RRP") regulation it promulgated in 2008. On April 22, 2010, EPA finalized the first of these two rulemakings, known as the "Opt-Out Amendment." In this amendment, EPA removed the "Opt-Out Provision" which allowed homeowners without children under 6 or pregnant women residing in the home to allow their contractor to forego the use of lead-safe work practices. Removing the opt-out more than doubles the number of homes subject to the LRRP Rule, and EPA has estimated that this amendment will add more than $500 million per year to the cost of the regulation.” (Courtesy of the National Association of Home Builders-NAHB) 

Our commitment to you!
At Windows on Washington, we follow the lead safe procedures set by the EPA because the health and safety of our customers is always a top priority.  Because we do not know the long-term effects of lead paint exposure on humans and their pets, we are committed to utilizing certified lead-safe procedures whenever indicated while keeping the cost of these required procedures at a minimum.  As always, every Windows on Washington estimate is itemized to maintain transparency and highlight the individualized cost of each option.

If you have any questions regarding this ruling or lead-safe installation procedures, please contact one of our experts and they will be happy to assist you.