Was your home built prior to 1978?  In Dallas, TX  over 70% of  existing homes were built prior to 1978. So why is that date so important you ask? Well…. 1978 was the year lead was banned as a substance to be used in paints and finishes. Prior to that, lead was used heavily in the production of paints and therefore a large percentage of homes built prior to 1978 have lead-based paint.

The EPA is finally taking a hard stance on lead safety rules. On April 22, 2010, the EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) regulations became effective and will be enforced by the EPA. This means contractors working on homes built prior to 1978 must meet the EPA guidelines for projects that might disturb lead. Contractors must seal the work area, post warning signs, and clean using special equipment. They are required to be certified through the EPA and can be fined heavily if there are infractions.

Many homeowners and real estate agents still don't know about about these new regulations and what it means for their properties, that's why I've decided to write this article.

So why is this important for you as a homeowner or real estate agent?

Lead can affect children’s brains and developing nervous systems. This can result in learning disabilities, reduced IQ, and behavioral problems.  Pregnant women exposed to lead can pass the poison along to their fetus.

Lead can cause hypertension, high blood pressure, and other dangerous and painful ailments.

Lead dust is the most common way people are exposed to lead. It is invisible and toxic. People can also be exposed to lead through lead paint chips and lead found in soil. Lead paint was banned in 1978 for use in residential dwellings.

Lead dust can be disturbed through remodeling and can endanger you and your family.

How do these regulations affect my property?

If you are planning on remodeling your pre-1978-built home, be sure to consider the safety of your family above all.
Our advise: Do not attempt to do the project yourself until you understand the dangers of lead and how to handle it. Only hire a contractor that is certified by the EPA. A certified professional went through EPA training and knows how to keep you and your family safe. Be sure to ask contractors that you interview if they have been trained to perform lead-safe work practices and ask to see a copy of their certificate. They should also provide you with a brochure entitled “Renovate Right”, which was published by the EPA and contains valuable information about lead.  Remember, your health and that of your family is the top priority.

More information on the details of the new regulations can be found here.

http://www.epa.gov/lead/index.html

EGC Custom Homes is a EPA certified firm and all our superintendents and trade contractors have been certified and have undergone the mandatory EPA training. So if you decide to hire us for your project, we can ensure that proper safety practices are followed – not just by us, but also by our trade contractors -to keep you and your family safe.

Written by:

Marc Kleinmann
Principal/Lead Project Manager
EGC Custom Homes & Renovations

photo: Brian Teutsch

My aunt recently re-modeled her house and wanted to use products that were low VOC, or NO VOC due to her allergies and asthma. When it came to paint we did research and found that Pittsburgh paints (a division of PPG coatings) have products that fit her needs. After looking at PPG we found out that they also use green practices at their production facilities, which means they do not just sell the products, but that they are also doing their part to be responsible.

To achieve its goals of being both a fiscally sound and environmentally responsible firm, PPG has re-engineered many of the manufacturing processes at its paint facilities to minimize energy consumption, improve air and water quality and cut waste. These initiatives include…

1) Each paint manufacturing plant has an active recycling process that includes the re-use of wash water from the production process, the re-work of obsolete inventory, and the recycling of raw material containers and packaging. Other packaging goods — such as plastic and stretch films, super-sacs, cardboard and pallets — are recycled or recovered by suppliers, secondary users, scrap dealers or through third-party contracts.

(2) In 2008, PPG was the first national paint supplier to initiate a recovery program for five-gallon plastic pails used for water-based products. Empty and dry pails are returned to company-owned stores, consolidated and sent to distribution centers for shredding and recycling. In addition to its environmental benefits, this program reduces customer costs by eliminating the need to pay for empty-pail disposa

(3) All gallon pails used for latex products are made from 100 percent recycled polypropylene, and are 100 percent recyclable.

If your goal is to “build green”, be it through meeting local or national VOC regulations, qualifying for LEED points, or consciously attempting to minimize the overall environmental footprint of your building, PPG can help. From residential to commercial to new home construction, PPG’s Pittsburgh and Porter Paints can supply every type of project with a “green” product solution. We offer products that meet the most stringent environmental standards which require either zero or low VOC coatings while delivering the performance you’ve come to expect.

Simply look for the following logo when trying to identify which PPG paint products are considered green and can help earn LEED credits.