A new regulation set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency is meant to protect children from lead poisoning, but it could affect the cost of renovating your home.
Beginning on Thursday, contractors across the country will need to be certified in the safe practices of renovating, repairing or painting in homes built before 1978 -- when lead-based paint was banned.
Scott Arena of Chem-Scope in North Haven has been teaching the certification course for about a year. But, he says, he's only trained about 1,200 contractors of the 25,000 or so in the state who do work that would require the certification.
In a one-day course, contractors, electricians, plumbers, renovators and window installers learn how to identify lead, contain the dust, and remove it safely.
The EPA says there are about 236,000 contractors across the country who would need the training to continue working in older homes but so far only about half have taken the course.
Homeowners considering significant renovation work, especially those with small children, should ensure that their contractor has proof of certification.