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ABC Serving  Parts of  New Hampshire and Massachusetts Since 1984  ¨A State Licensed Home Inspection Company¨

November 2017 Haverhill Life article on Lead Paint Testing, including Massachusetts and New Hampshire laws and homeowner responsibilities:

🧪 Lead Paint Testing: What Homeowners Must Know

🚨 Massachusetts Law: Homes Built Before 1978

Requirement: If a child under 6 years old lives in a home built before 1978 (including owner-occupied homes), the home must have:

A Lead Paint Compliance Certificate, or
A Letter of Interim Control (short-term safety approval).

Common misconception: The law does not only apply to rental units. It applies to all homes where a child under 6 resides.

🧾 What Homeowners Should Do

If your home is built before 1978 and a child under 6 lives there:

Hire a state-licensed lead inspector for a full lead inspection.
If lead is found, hire a licensed deleading contractor to remove the hazards.
After completion, the inspector returns for a clearance inspection and issues the lead-safe certificate.

You may be eligible to do some deleading work yourself under a low- or moderate-risk approval from the Massachusetts Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP).

💡 Why This Matters

Health risks: Lead poisoning in young children can cause:

Learning disabilities
Behavioral issues
Decreased IQ
Memory problems

Also dangerous to: Pregnant women and unborn children.

🩺 Child Lead Testing in Massachusetts

Required for all children from 9 months to 4 years old
Testing must be done annually, and more often if lead levels are high

💰 Costs to Expect

Service

Cost Estimate

Lead inspection

$350 – $700

Lead abatement/deleading

$3,000 – $50,000+

Cost varies depending on the age, size, and condition of the home.

🛠️ Renovation Rules: Federal & State

If your home was built before 1978:

Federal law (since 2010):
Anyone disturbing a painted/coated surface must be:

Lead-Safe Renovator (LSR) certified in Massachusetts
Renovate, Repair & Paint (RRP) certified in New Hampshire

✅ Exception: You can renovate your own single-family home without these licenses—but only if you personally do the work.

🔧 Most renovation jobs still require building permits—even if you’re doing the work yourself.

🏠 What About New Hampshire?

No lead compliance certification is required unless a child becomes lead-poisoned.
RRP certification is still required for contractors working on pre-1978 homes.

📝 Homeowner Action Checklist

Task

Required?

Lead inspection (pre-1978 home, child under 6)

✅ Yes (MA only)

Hire only licensed inspectors and deleaders

✅ Yes

Child blood testing (9 mos – 4 yrs)

✅ Yes (Massachusetts)

Use LSR/RRP-certified contractor for renovations

✅ Yes (unless DIY home)

Building permit for renovation

✅ Yes (typically)

 

ALL ABOUT HOUSES BY ANDY CONSOLI