Katherine Heintzelman, Inspector
Accredited with the Maryland Dept of the Environment
Maryland: 301-221-1099
I will make this process as painless as possible.
NOTE: The MDE requires 24 hour notice before a lead inspection is conducted.
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Please call or email me at YourLeadLady82@gmail.com for a quote or to schedule your lead inspection. Please indicate the rental property address, the type of home (townhome, single family, etc.), the number of bedrooms, and if there is a basement (indicating finished, not finished or partially finished). Please also indicate if the windows in your home have been replaced.
In the meantime, here’s how you should prepare and what you should know -
Determining if your property needs a lead inspection:
Beginning January 2015, properties built before 1978 will require a lead paint inspection for rental purposes.
- According to statistics cited by the EPA even homes built after 1950 have a significant likelihood of containing lead based paint
Before the inspection:
The property must be free of chipping, peeling, flaking or chalking paint (see photos for examples of defective paint). If the property is not free of defective paint, dust wipe samples will have to be done at a later date during a re-inspection.
All windows and doors must open and close smoothly, without friction.
All structures on the property including garages, tool sheds, playground equipment, garden furniture, even the fence, etc. have to be free of chipping, peeling, flaking or chalking paint.
The window wells, sills and floors should be HEPA vacuumed and cleaned at least one hour before the inspection.
The inspection:
A visual inspection of the interior and exterior home and structures to make sure all paint is intact is done first. If any chipping, peeling, flaking or chalking paint is present a follow up inspection to collect dust wipe samples will have to be done. Note: a follow up inspection is an additional expense.
Once it is determined that no signs of defective paint are present then dust wipe samples are collected from the window wells, sills and/or floors.
Properties with replacement windows (after 1978) require ONE sample per room from either the window sill or the floor.
Properties with windows prior to 1978 require TWO samples per room. One from a window well and a second from either the floor or a window sill.
Rooms without windows require ONE sample from the floor.
Samples are then taken to the lab for analysis.
Once the lab has determined that the lead levels are within the acceptable limits issued by the Federal Government a Full Risk Reduction Certificate will be issued. The property owner receives the original certificate (white), the tenant receives the pink copy, a copy is retained by the lead inspector and a copy is sent to the Dept of the Environment.
Owners/Landlords must ensure all current tenants receive the EPA pamphlet “Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home” and MDE pamphlet “Notice of Tenant’s Rights” as well as the pink copy of the lead inspection certificate upon execution of a new lease or inception of tenancy. Owner/Landlords must re-notify tenants of rights and re-distribute pamphlets every two years.
Downloadable forms and useful links:
Maryland Dept of the Environment –
http://www.mde.state.md.us/Pages/Home.aspx
Maryland Dept of the Environment registration form –
http://www.mde.state.md.us/programs/Land/Documents/LeadForms/LeadFormRentalPropertyRegistrationForm.pdf
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