A new law passed by the federal government states that any contractor that disturbs a painted surface in a home, childcare facility or school built before 1978 must be certified and follow certain work practices to prevent lead contamination.  This law also mandates the contractor to provide the homeowner/tenants with information regarding this process and potential risks involved before work begins.

Homes built before 1978 may have been painted on the interior and exterior with a lead based paint.  This type of paint was desirable because it was durable and would last a long time.  In fact, this paint is still used on public bridges and over passes because it doesn’t pose a risk to the general public  and will not need to be painted very often.  All other buildings, it is against the law to use this type of paint.

Lead based paint is dangerous for us, especially children under the age of 6, in the form of dust.  Even in low doses when breathed in, it can cause high blood pressure and hypertension for adults.  It is also dangerous for pregnant women because they can transfer it to their unborn baby.  Lead is especially dangerous for young children as it is known to cause reduced IQ levels, learning disabilities and behavior problems.

If you are concerned about the levels of lead in your home, you can hire a certified inspector or risk assessor that can conduct an inspection of your home.  This test will tell you where the lead is located.  They can then guide you in what actions you should take to address this situation if lead is indeed found. 

At Land Enterprises Roofing we have a certified risk assessor on our staff.  The only time that this would be a concern for us  is if we have to work with the trim and remove drip edge during the roofing process. When we encounter this on a home or business built before 1978 our certified professional will test the area for lead.  If lead is found then our team will follow the federal guidelines.  The federal guidelines instruct us to lay down sheets of plastic to collect any debris, chips, or dust of paint that may become disturbed during this process.  After the work is completed our team will carefully wrap the particles into the plastic, seal it and dispose of it properly.   Caring for the health of our team and our customers is our first priority.

For more information you may contact the National Lead Information Center  at 1-800-424-5323 or our office at 359-3951.