The new law applies to houses built before 1978. This does not apply to your friend's home of course since you say it was built in 1970, but did they have the home tested? There is an opt-out. If the home is tested and does not show lead the protective procedures do not have to be used.

The original ruling had a waiver option for home that did not have children or pregnant women living in them but this was quickly eliminated as it opened up potential for abuse and did not take into consideration those living close to the home. I am glad the waiver option was eliminated. Lead dust can travel far and the neighbor's lives and that of their children would be affected. This is a good law.

Having a home painted is expensive to begin with. The new procedure to eliminate lead in our environment does add some extra cost but your neighbor would probably be paying tens of thousands of dollars anyway to have the home professionally painted even without the new regs.

Here is a link with a quick summary:

Here is a link that might be useful: New Law

I would think that at least you could get it tested to see if lead. I just had fascia and soffit done in aluminum. The guy who did it said the company he works for has decided not to do any tear off/replace sidings that contain asbestos because of new regulations and too complicated and will need a bunch of new equipment(respirators/tenting building) and training. This remodeling company has been around since about 1958 but will turn down these jobs even in the economy.

1970 precedes 1978 so she does fall in the specified time table.
Like izzie said..a lot of contractors just are refusing jobs that fall in this category..not worth the cost and aggravation.

noone takes into consideration just how much of our tax/medical ins dollars, we've spent to cover the care of children affected by lead poisoning.

besides, several states have had lead abatement in affect for a very long time. have you ever watched this old house, way back when, where they had to remove moldings and "dip" doors to a 5 ft level? (assuming children wouldn't chew on paint higher than 5 ft)

This nonsense not only affects those in the paint industry but plumbers,electricians and other people in the trades. As long as it is not disturbed there is no problem. Contractors already know to avoid inhaling the dust and how to contain an area.

This is not about the children nor the environment. This is about generating revenue for more government interference.

Generations of children grew up in so called "lead infested" homes homes without appreciable higher lead levels in their blood. It is ignorant parents who allow their kids to put their mouths on stuff that doesn't belong there. My kids were raised in homes with lead paint and asbestos. They don't have high levels of lead in their blood.

Just the other day I saw a kid around 8 or 9 years old sucking on the corner of a video they were buying. Mom stood right there and never told the kid to take the case out of her mouth. I see this kind of stuff all the time. You just cannot legislate away stupidity!

All this trend to removal is adding to the landfills and contaminating the ground water. Some things are better left alone.

Wildchild...you are right on the money!!
Just another way to prohibit the thing tht made his country what it used to be...free enterprise.
Now it's lets's see how we can prevent small business from providing a healthy economy.
I'll get off my soap box now...sorry.

Wildchild said it better then I could!

When I read dilly dallys post I thought to myself, I always thought 1970 preceded 1978, too. Wildchild said it all.... Just another way to get into our pocketbooks... Also coming down the pike for all of us older home owners is having to have your home up to their "new" codes to even sell it.. A buntch of crap!!!!!!!!! The days of buying a new to redo yourself are soon going to be gone.... What's going to be next???

You can buy paint with no VOCs. i always do my own painting.

LOL. I gotta learn to proof read. Of course I meant to say "This does not apply to your friend's home of course since you say it was built in 1970."

The biggest problem with lead is when it is disturbed and no, people don't always take proper precautions. I was working at a place where the guy next door decided to scrape and sand the entire exterior of his pre-1900 building that had a gajillion coats of paint on it. The paint dust came into our place and settled all over everything, everyday, all summer. Of course he was wearing a mask. I went over and tried to explain to him that there was lead in that paint and it was coming into our place, but it fell on deaf ears. I glad to see a law in place to protect innocent people.

It's a crock. DH is a house painter and has to pay $300.00 to get certified (lasts a few years). They "suggest" - not require - you take a course (which he is - 1 day seminar $150). As I read through the info he was given, I don't see where the the painter is really required to prove they know anything - just pay the 300 bucks. Also, dilly dally - I wouldn't want any lead dust falling on me from the neighbors, either, but the regs just say to cover the ground with a plastic drop cloth when scraping, then gather it up, folding to the inside and tape shut before disposing. I con't see how that would help contain the type of dust you described. I'm all for safety - but not just the government making it sound like a safety measure and pocketing the money.

I'd check more thoroughly before I wrote the painters a check;
I'm a Realtor, just sold a home built in 1974, & the FHA (government-insured loan) appraiser/inspector required the sellers to scrape the loose paint & apply 2 coats of new paint.
period.
no haz-mat kind of stuff.

I called him for clarification & he said that the concern is that loose or flaking paint can come off, & children put it in their mouths;
paint that adheres tightly to the surface is not a problem as long as it's covered by 2 coats of new, non-lead paint.

The seller's kids swooped into town last week-end & scraped & painted, & the appraiser re-inspected it & approved it.