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Lead Inspection with XRF

Lead paint inspections in New Jersey are required by law for rental properties. But what if you own the property as a rental, and you have completely stripped it down to the studs and rebuilt it? Can you do a lead-free inspection with an XRF, and be done with lead testing on that property forever?

Lead-Free Certification

XRF technology allows rental property owners the pathway for lead-free certification. If your rental property was built on or before 1978, then you must have a lead paint inspection, and there are two inspections, either the Lead Paint Risk Assessment, which is done every three years depending on tenant turnover, and is not lead-free. The Lead Paint Inspection is done with the XRF; if the inspection goes as planned, it will be the last lead inspection on that property. But there are stipulations when proceeding with the inspection.

How to prepare for the XRF Lead Paint Inspection

For starters, the rental property cannot look like this:

1. No one can be at the property, no renters, no animals roaming. NO ONE.
2. No furniture can be up against the wall. Technicians need to be able to reach the trim. Technicians should not move furniture or touch items of the renters.
3. The property should be well-lit.
4. The landlord should let the renter know exactly what is taking place and should meet or allow the technician access to the property, for the safety of the technician and the renter.
5. The inspection will take a good 3-4 hours if not more depending on the size of the property.
6. The property will have been completely rehabbed, meaning stripped down to the studs.

Failures of the XRF Lead Paint Inspection

Curren Environmental has come across many rental property owners who have asked for the XRF Lead Paint Inspection and have failed. Failures are due to the property not being rehabbed and property owners thinking they may be able to slip by with the XRF missing something. But let me tell you, Curren has done many Lead Paint Inspections with the XRF and we have found plenty of areas that have lead, and we have had to drop down to Lead Risk Assessment, which is done every two years in New Jersey. Before you ask for the Lead Pain Inspection, make sure that your property is lead ready, or lead-free!

Environmental regulations are confusing, Curren Environmental has over 26 years helping clients navigate the regulatory landscape.