Lead Hazard Control and Maintenance

Lead hazard controls can be temporary or permanent. Temporary lead hazard controls are known as interim or mitigation controls, and permanently controlling lead means completely getting rid of lead or sources of lead dust in the home, often referred to as abatement.

What is lead hazard control?

Lead hazard controls are ways to reduce or completely get rid of lead hazards in homes. Chicago property owners and homeowners have several choices for lead hazard control.

Interim controls are temporary ways to fix lead hazards. Controls can vary, but generally include:

  • repairing rotted or damaged underlying layers that cause paint damage;
  • fixing floors and interior window sills and window wells so that they are smooth and cleanable;
  • covering lead-based paint on high-use surfaces, such as stairs and floors, or repairing windows and doors so that they open easily to avoid creating lead-based paint chips or high levels of lead dust;
  • covering lead-based paint on or blocking access to surfaces within reach of children
  • covering or blocking access to all bare soil containing high levels of lead; and
  • cleaning surfaces to reduce lead dust, including cleaning carpets.

For more information readLead Paint Safety: A Field Guide for Painting, Home Maintenance, and Renovation Work (PDF)

In Chicago, contact the Department of Public Health, (312) 747-LEAD [5323] for information on a Lead Safe Work Practice (LSWP) training.

Many surfaces and areas in your home can be sources of lead poison. If there is reason to suspect lead poisoning on your property, the following surfaces must be permanently removed or covered even if they look like they are in good condition:

  • surfaces below five feet that can be mouthed by a child, including but not limited to wall corners, doors, stairs, railings, windows, baseboards, and chair rails; and
  • parts of windows (with sills below five feet) that move or touch moving parts.

Although it is recommended that a licensed lead contractor do the abatement work, homeowners in Chicago can in some cases also do this work.

  1. Encapsulating surfaces with lead-based paint with paneling, plywood, fabrics, or other coverings that block access to the lead-based paint.
  2. Removing paint from surfaces by wet scraping, HEPA sanding, or stripping.

For more information visit The Chicago Department of Public Health.

Who should do lead hazard control and how to find a lead hazard control contractor?

In Illinois, homeowners can usually perform most types of lead abatement after completing lead abatement training. Abatement options such as replacing building components might require hiring licensed lead contractors. These contractors are specially trained to handle removing sources of lead and lead-contaminated surfaces in your home.

The Illinois Department of Public Health offers a list of lead-safe contractors.

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