What’s an EPA Lead-Safe Certified Firm Got To Do with Anything?

The world gets more "green" everyday meaning green building and home improvement is going to become more and more important. Of course, by "going green" we mean using energy and environmentally safe and efficient materials and designs in building construction. But this isn’t something that just happens! The contractor you hire for home improvement in Manassas Park, VA often must be specially trained by manufacturers and materials suppliers and then certified by the appropriate government agency.



In other words, a green certification represents a lot of time and energy invested in learning the methods and specifications needed to manage green building. Of course there are a number of different certifications and learning to recognize the symbols can help you choose the home improvement or roofing contractor in Manassas Pak, VA that has stayed current in the latest technology and standards.



For example, the EPA Lead-Safe Certified Firm logo tells you that the contractor and crew have gone through the appropriate training to earn certification. The company has certified renovators who have been government trained in lead-safe work practices. The EPA established the rule because it was discovered that many renovation jobs lead to the release of particles containing lung damaging lead. The lead is found mostly in lead-based paint though there are other sources of lead pollutants found in older homes.



Containing the Lead



A Lead-Safe Certified home improvement Manassas Park, VA company knows how to contain a work area so that lead based dust does not spread. The work crew also has learned techniques for minimizing dust and how to clean up lead dust so that none is left behind for children or adults to breathe in after the renovators leave.



The home improvement or roofing contractor Manassas Park, VA homeowners use should be Lead-Safe Certified by the EPA because it is a federal requirement. The company’s crew must go through 8 hours of training which also includes hands-on training. The certification is effective for 5 years and that means the contractor has committed to retraining which is good for consumers. The retraining will update skills and knowledge so that homeowners, their families and workers stay safe during home remodeling or building projects.



Stay Safe After the Job is Completed



There is no requirement that the homeowner hire a Lead-Safe Certified firm. But if a company does a renovation on a building that has paint applied before 1978, the contractor is supposed to be certified and would be violating EPA regulations by doing the job if not certified. So the best step a homeowner can take is to look for the Lead-Safe Certified Firm logo for any remodel job. That way you know you are getting the most knowledgeable and trained workers in the industry no matter what they run into while work is in progress.



The home improvement Manassas Park, VA contractor should be experienced, insurance, bonded and certified. In that way you know that your family’s health and property is kept safe while the renovation is in progress and long after the crew leaves.



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