As you may have heard the EPA has required that all houses built prior to 1978 must undergo a lead test to detect the presence or absence of lead in construction materials used in the past. This test is provided at no charge to my clients in most cases. If lead is detected we are required to take certain measures (Lead Safe Practices) to control the spread of toxic lead dust. This includes clearly marking and containing the work zone, setting up plastic containments around each window’s interior and tarping the exterior. Also, all workers must wear protective clothing and respirators. In addition, we use the required HEPA-rated vacuums and lead-attractive wipes to clean containment and work areas and properly dispose of the old materials. These procedures do result in additional costs (based on window size) but are necessary to protect the homeowners, renters, children, pets and installers alike. All of these procedures must be documented for our records. Here are some photos taken from several of the lead jobs we have completed. These pictures demonstrate how Mile High Window, Solar & Landscape responsibly deals with this issue. Keep in mind that other companies may not be sufficiently trained or equipped to handle these jobs.
We must wear protective suits and respirators when dealing with lead
All interior areas must be completely contained
Lead-affected areas must be cleaned and pass comparison tests
