[MassHistPres] Restoring windows and lead paint issues

[Madelyn Mitton]

There have been many postings related to the historic windows vs replacement
windows from an energy efficiency standpoint.   

 

What I am inquiring about is the difficulty / cost of restoring historic
windows compared to using replacement windows to meet compliance with the
Massachusetts lead paint laws.    

 

In Massachusetts " The Lead Law requires the removal or covering of lead
paint hazards in homes built before 1978 where any children under six live."
Reference info  at
<http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eohhs2terminal&L=6&L0=Home&L1=Government&L2=Law
s%2c+Regulations+and+Policies&L3=Department+of+Public+Health+Regulations+%26
+Policies&L4=Regulations+and+Other+Publications+-+I+to+L&L5=Lead+-+The+Massa
chusetts+Lead+Law+and+Legal+Documents&sid=Eeohhs2&b=terminalcontent&f=dph_en
vironmental_lead_g_lead_law_require&csid=Eeohhs2>
http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eohhs2terminal&L=6&L0=Home&L1=Government&L2=Laws
%2c+Regulations+and+Policies&L3=Department+of+Public+Health+Regulations+%26+
Policies&L4=Regulations+and+Other+Publications+-+I+to+L&L5=Lead+-+The+Massac
husetts+Lead+Law+and+Legal+Documents&sid=Eeohhs2&b=terminalcontent&f=dph_env
ironmental_lead_g_lead_law_require&csid=Eeohhs2

 

Windows are the most difficult to meet compliance as several parts of the
windows are considered movable / impacted surfaces and those components must
be "deleaded in entirety."  

 

Even if you have your window sash stripped and reglazed, once repainted they
will sometimes (potentially often) test positive for lead.    On a recent
project of 14 pairs of window sash that where stripped and reglazed by 2
different well-known companies, only 3 windows had lead levels low enough to
be considered compliant.    If the windows had been visually inspected by
lead inspector when completely stripped, the windows would currently be
considered compliant.    Photos and invoices to show this work was done is
not sufficient proof per the lead inspector I worked with.  

 

You also need to get the fixed parts of the windows that are impacted by the
movable sash 'deleaded in entirety'.  In most or all cases this would need
to be done by a licensed deleader.  A licensed deleader may hand scrap to
bare wood, cover or remove (As I am not a licensed deleader so you would
need to refer to a licensed deleader to verify these options and determine
if there are other options).

 

Questions: 

1. Is there a cost effective way to get historic windows into compliance
with the Massachusetts lead paint laws? 

 

2. Is anyone aware of a way to get compliance on a window sash that has
previously been stripped to bare wood, but now repainted and when tested
with X-Ray, tests over the maximum?          

 

3. Is there any plan to inform historic window restoration companies about
the benefits of suggesting to clients that they have the windows visually
inspected when the windows are stripped?   (potentially saving thousands of
dollars when having to have the windows stripped again when a child under 6
moves in or installing replacement windows to comply) 

 

 

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