Own Or Rent a PRE-1978 Home?
We can answer your lead paint question and guide you through the process of making it Lead-Safe and fully compliant with MA Lead Law.
Massachusetts has a “Lead Safe” standard and is providing a $3,000 MA Tax Credit, per unit, for making your home(s) lead-safe.
There has never been a better time than now to bring your PRE-1978 home into compliance.
John (Jack) Mason – Massachusetts Lead Inspector #4547
About Us
Jack is the owner of Lead Safe Inspections (LSI). The lead inspections services he offers are guided by technical expertise and an unwavering focus on client education and safety. Also a licensed MA home inspector, Jack has been inspecting homes since 2015 and brings a background in building science and analysis to every inspection.
Before launching LSI, Jack spent 10 years in home inspection, 20 years in computer science, and another 10 overseeing facilities at the Harvard Law School. His analytical mindset and technical skills set him apart in the field. His inspections emphasize health, safety, and clarity, and his reports help clients make informed decisions about their homes.
Jack is also a Certified Residential Thermographer, Pest Inspector, and FAA-Certified Drone Pilot. He has firsthand experience restoring his own 1912 Faux Victorian home in Somerville, giving him practical insight into the lead and renovation challenges common in historic Massachusetts properties.
Lead Safe Inspections (LSI)
About the Company
Lead Safe Inspections’ primary goal is aligned with the Child Lead Poison Prevention Program (CLPPP). The Massachusetts lead laws were created to protect children under 6 from lead poisoning and the resulting permanent damage it causes. Anyone can get lead poisoning, including pregnant mothers and their unborn children, as they share the same lead in blood levels.
Protecting the Vulnerable
As with all children under 6, the damage from lead poisoning to unborn babies will be permanent. Breast milk also contains lead, though at a lower concentration than the mother’s blood.
Everyone Deserves to Live in a Lead-Safe Home
The first step is to identify the location of any lead paint/varnish/etc and current lead hazards in the home. If there are no lead hazards, a Letter of Full Initial Compliance will be issued. If hazards are found, they will need to be abated by an authorized person before a Letter of Full Deleading Compliance can be issued. We’ll walk you through the process.
We serve Somerville, Cambridge, Arlington, Medford, Melrose, Belmont, Watertown, Waltham, Brookline, Newton, Everett, Chelsea, Revere, Lynn, and all of Greater Boston.
Lead Safe Inspections
MA Lead Law Basics
It's Not Just a Good Idea, It's the Law!
It is against MA Lead Law and a local sanitary code violation for a child under 6 to live or spend significant time in a pre-1978 home for which a Letter of Compliance has not been issued. Should a child under 6 become lead poisoned in a home without a letter of compliance, the homeowner is subject to Strict Liability. This means the injured party does not need to prove the child was lead poisoned in that home – the homeowner is at fault for not providing a Lead Safe home. The owner will be responsible for the poisoned child’s medical care as well as replacing their lifetime earnings, likely damages and legal fees too.
Don't Freak Out, Get the Lead Out!
Forget the hearsay and get the facts. We are here to help guide you through the compliance process.
Education to Help You Make the Best Decision for Your Home
Common Questions
- The only path to a lead-safe home (Letter of Compliance) is to begin with a full initial inspection. If no lead hazards are found, a Letter of Full Initial Compliance will be issued.
- If lead hazards are found they will need to be abated by an authorized person/contractor.
- The abatement work is inspected and dust wipes sent to a lab, and when the dust wipes pass, a Letter of Full Deleading Compliance is issued.
If you just want to know where the lead and/or lead hazards are, we offer Lead Determinations. Keep in mind that you can’t legally delead, even if authorized, until a complete lead inspection of the home has been completed. A lead determination could later become a full lead inspection, after any untested surfaces are tested and all previous areas of leaded paint are evaluated again for lead hazards.
We also offer RRP determinations so you are informed before you start renovations, repairs, and/or painting for the sake of the renovation, repairs and or painting sake. The goal of the renovation, repair, and/or painting can’t be for deleading – that would be illegal.
Any structure built prior to the 1978 banning of lead paint is very likely to have at least one coat of lead paint that could be inhaled or ingested if exposed. Anyone living in an older structure, especially those planning any painting, renovation, and/or repairs, should schedule a lead paint inspection before beginning any work.
Lead dust is by far the greatest culprit in lead poisoning and a simple act like scraping before painting, produces a lot of visible and invisible dust that is readily inhaled. It also lands on the floor and other surfaces, where babies crawl and children play.
By definition, until a Licensed Lead Inspector issue a Letter of Compliance, your PRE-1978 home is not lead safe and it poses serious health and legal issues to its occupants and owners. We are dedicated to helping you achieve a lead-safe home by conducting thorough and accurate lead paint inspections.
Contact Us
Get In Touch Today
Proudly Serving Homeowners, Landlords, & Tenants
56 Albion St, Somerville, MA 02143
Live Lead Safe & Worry-Free of Strict Liability!
Our licensed professionals offer lead paint inspection services in Somerville, Cambridge, Arlington, Brookline, Watertown, Waltham, Newton, Medford, Malden, Melrose, Everett, Chelsea, Revere, Lynn, Saugus, and all of the Greater Boston area.