So, there's a new Federal EPA law that pertains to lead paint. There appears to be a fair amount of confusion about it and the information wasn't exactly disseminated to the public expeditiously, but the bottom line is that starting April 22, 2010, certain requirements must be followed in buildings built pre-1978. Federal law requires that "contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb more than six square feet of paint in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978 must be certified and trained to follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination." Please take a look at the EPA site with all of the information
On one hand, this does have the potential to increase costs for both homeowners and contractors, but the flip side is that it does have the potential to save lives. Lead paint should be dealt with by a professional in order to prevent any potential damage.
I didn't know much about lead paint but apparently it was widely used for many years. The Wikipedia page says that lead paint was used to "speed drying, increase durability, retain a fresh appearance, and resist moisture that causes corrosion" the one catch is that it's extremely toxic!
There is actually an interesting story about how the Lead Industry Association and paint manufacturers ran an advertising campaign throughout the 20s up to the 50s playing down the hazards of lead paint. In fact the Dutch Boy is actually a small boy messing around with lead paint. I found that fact in this article, along with other interesting facts about lead paint. If you look in the top right corner of the photo it says All Lead Paint. I also like his yellow clogs!
The bottom line is that I became lead certified as did most of our handyman staff, plus we are a Lead Safe Certified Firm. We know how to take the proper precautions in the most cost-effective manner we can. We were already following most of the requirements without even knowing it.
Please feel free to contact us with any questions that you may have.

Social Media, Spotless Style

For awhile Spotless Services shied away from having a social media presence. We worried that our customers aren't looking for us in this way. Even though at least 75% of the Spotless team has a Facebook account, even though I personally check out Facebook numerous times a day on my PC and Blackberry, silly right? Well, we've decided to change all of that and now Spotless Services has a presence on Facebook and Twitter. So, please go ahead and be our fan on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @SpotlessService. We'll be offering special deals for all of you that sign up. If you proclaim that you're a fan of Spotless Services, I promise that we'll make it worth your while.
The Spotless Team