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Survey: Consumers Won’t Pay for Lead-Dust Testing
Despite overwhelming awareness of lead dust's health risks, most consumers would refuse to pay for tests that identify a safe level of lead dust after remodeling work, according to a national survey. Commissioned by NAHB Remodelers, the findings raise concerns that future regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requiring mandatory lead clearance testing in pre-1978 homes may cause more problems than it solves.
"Ideally, every home owner would pay for this test, but clearly the vast majority does not believe the cost justifies the results despite living in at-risk homes," said NAHB Remodelers Chair Mike Nagel, CGR, CAPS, a remodeler from Chicago. "The EPA must encourage home owners to work with trained professionals, and adding what may be substandard costs to remodeling projects could cause home owners to do it themselves, hire unlicensed contractors, or worse, do nothing."
The research firm TNS surveyed 1,001 residents of owner-occupied homes built before 1978 — the last year lead paint was used in construction.
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From the "Lead Paint Safety" brochure from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. | Overall, 94% of the home owners surveyed indicated that they were aware that lead dust from older homes can cause health problems. When asked about hiring a third-party company to test for lead dust after a remodeling project, 81% of those planning to hire a professional within the next two years said they would not pay the estimated $200 per room to ensure a safe lead dust level.
Of those with “do-it-yourself” or DIY projects, 80% said they would not pay for this test either.
The $200 cost assumed an urban or suburban residence with easy access to a lead dust testing facility.
Additionally, households with pregnant women or children under six years old were reluctant to take on the additional cost. Of those planning to hire a professional, only 25% said they would pay for the third-party test while a third of DIYers said they would pay.
The EPA recently proposed a new rule to regulate renovation activities by contractors in pre-1978 homes — the rule would not apply to DIY home owners.
Practical Methods to Avoid Creating Potential Lead Dust
NAHB continues to emphasize the practical methods that the EPA recommends to avoid creating potential lead dust:
- Mist surfaces with water before sanding or scraping.
- Cover the area under construction with durable protective sheeting such as a plastic or poly tarp. Use barriers to keep dust contained to the immediate work area.
- Use an exhaust fan venting from the work area to help remove dust and other pollutants.
- Use an appropriate waste disposal method for any paints containing lead.
For more information on lead safety, call the EPA at 800-484-LEAD (5323), or visit www.epa.gov/lead.
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