Have you ever heard of RRP? It’s probably not likely if you are Canadian, but if you live in the United States and own a home that was built before 1978, RRP is definitely something that you need to be aware of.
In 2008, the EPA instituted the Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule to protect adults and children against the health hazards of lead dust and chips created during common renovation activities like sanding, cutting and demolition. The EPA required that renovators, contractors and painters working on pre-1978 built homes be certified and trained to follow lead-safe work practices.
Lead-safe practices include the proper containment of an area, minimizing dust during the renovation and thorough clean-up. It makes sense and not only protects homeowners, it also protects workers from the dangers of lead dust and chips.
Canada doesn’t have any such rules or legislation. Does that mean there is no lead in our paint?
Hardly. It is very likely that if your home was built before 1960, there is most likely lead in the paint. Between 1961 and 1991, some paints contained smaller amounts of lead. After 1991 most paints sold to consumers, contained no lead.
In Vancouver, there are thousands of houses built before 1960. Many of them heritage houses and many of them being renovated and restored as our city copes with high demand and sky-rocketing housing prices. What should you do it you own an older home in Vancouver and are considering renovations and painting?
You need to hire experts.
Warline Painting specializes in the exactly this kind of work and its another reason we invested in the Festool line of Dust Extractors. Festool’s extractor systems are EPA RRP Full Unit Certified HEPA Vacuums that are designed to trap 99.7% of particles down to .3 microns. That means we work dust free and that is better for you, your family and our crew members.
At Warline, we believe that using the best equipment, following best practices (whether it is legislated or not) and doing the best quality work is how we stand apart from the competition.
After all, we are not your typical painters.
Interested in hiring the best? Give us a call and we’ll be happy to set up an appointment. It’s free and we promise you will learn what makes Warline different.
