Lead can become trapped in the HVAC system and spread throughout your home. In children, it can cause permanent medical conditions or learning disabilities.
You should not try to remodel a home in the Downers Grove area built before 1978 without hiring an EPA-certified contractor. Downers Grove, IL, is a historic village formed in 1832; this means there are many homes with lead paint present.
Where Is Lead Found?
Paint is inside and outside the house. Homeowners think that repainting the inside of their home is safe, and the paint outside is the only concern. When you are going to repaint any area of your home, you need to have a contractor check the house for lead. Contractors will look at any painted surface to check for lead and determine the best steps for renovation or repainting.
What Is the EPA Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule (RRP)?
Buildings made before 1978 have lead-based paint. In the past, lead was not a concern. Still, as time passed and more information became available, the EPA now requires a renovation, repair, or paint project that creates a hazard with lead paint to have a certified contractor on board.
Even the smallest dose of lead paint is harmful to you and your family. Lead-based paint can spread when a renovation involves cutting, replacing windows, etc. Opal Enterprises is one of the EPA’s Lead-Safe Certified Firms. The certification process is long, and remodeling companies must recertify every five years.
The EPA offers a list of Downers Grove Lead-Safe certified firms, so you can rest assured that our certification is updated.
Distribution and Removal Practices
When lead is present, the contractor will explain the dangers to the homeowner. Once the homeowner signs off, the contractor will begin removal procedures. Contractors will first put down a poly floor mat and a tact mat. These mats allow the construction workers to come in and out of the home.
Opal Enterprises will block off the area of your home or building so that no one is in unnecessary danger. The site is isolated, and no one should enter without lead-safe work practice certified suits.
Poly is spread under and out from the construction area on the exterior. Signage is placed, and the site is secured. Any trim and debris that falls onto the poly mat are safely removed. Any waste that we cannot pick up is vacuumed so that there is no more lead present in or around the home.
The areas where lead is present are swept and cleaned to ensure the site is lead-free. Another area inspection is done to ensure there is no more lead. There are additional costs for these practices, but the safety of your loved ones is of the utmost importance.
Opal Enterprises Is a Lead Certified Contractor
Opal Enterprises will conduct lead testing on every work project we do. As a Lead Certified contractor, we are legally required to inspect for lead in a home built before 1978.
Lead is also a safety concern for our workers. If a contractor does not check for lead, they may not be EPA certified and can face a fine. Window, door, and siding projects are the most common remodeling projects that show the presence of lead.
Contact Opal Enterprises today to get started on your home renovation project with an EPA lead-safe certified contractor.
