If your home was built before 1978 there is a good chance that the paint on the walls has lead in it. Lead is a toxic metal that was commonly used in paints manufactured before that date. In fact, the older a home is, the chances that lead is in the paint are even greater. The EPA has a saying, “Lead paint comes with a lifetime guarantee. It’ll do damage for generations.”"What’s on your walls?” That’s the EPA slogan. If you have a newer home, you have no worries. But if your home was built prior to 1978, and you have remodeling to be done, your paint should be tested for lead. This is especially important if there are children living in the home. Children under 6 years of age are highly susceptible to lead-based poisoning. In fact, some pediatricians routinely test the children under their care for lead in their system. It is a serious matter since lead-poisoning can cause brain damage.

Champion now has 3 RRP (Repair, Renovation, and Painting) EPA-certified technicians that know how to handle lead-based paint in an older home. They are Brett Bishop, Paul Barish, and Sam Elliott. Brett and Paul are in our Mitigation Department and Sam is one of the Construction Supervisors. Now when we are working in older homes, they routinely will test the paint for lead. If lead is present and we have to disturb the paint, by removing drywall for instance, a crew will be set up under the direction of one of these RRP certified technicians. The proper steps will be taken to protect the home’s occupants from contamination while work is in progress.

For more information go to www.epa.gov/lead or www.epa.gov/opptintr

You can download the pamphlet ”Renovate Right: Important Lead Hazard information for Families, Child Care Providers, and Schools” at http://epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovaterightbrochure.pdf

You can also contact the National Lead Information Center at 1-800-424-LEAD (5323) or online at http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/nlic.htm

Last updated on January 11, 2015 by Champion Cleaning Systems