Lead Law Update

New Handbooks Provide Clarity for Homeowners and Contractors on Preserving Wood Windows

In 2023, the State of Rhode Island expanded landlord requirements in the General Laws that govern lead-safe conditions for residential properties. This included mandatory registration in an online rental registry and a more stringent lead-safe enforcement and compliance process. With no exceptions or guides for historic buildings, these new requirements created a great deal of concern for historic building property owners, particularly involving wood windows. Reports from the field indicated that many independent lead inspectors were not willing to test historic windows for lead. In some cases, property owners were told that old windows would automatically 'fail' an inspection and instead, required they be replaced.

To combat this, Preserve RI held regular meetings with the Providence Preservation Society, RIHPHC, and the Newport Restoration Foundation (NRF), to analyze the new requirements and discuss preservation options for windows with the RI Department of Health as they relate to meeting lead safe conditions. In tandem, with funding support from the National Park Service, NRF and the City of Newport teamed up with Heritage Restoration to develop guidelines to safely address lead remediation, while preserving the historic features of their buildings. Two guides were created for navigating the new requirements with suggested adaptation and mitigation options for making old windows lead-safe. The resources include two sections, the Homeowner User Guide and the Contractor Manual. 

The Homeowner User Guide is focused on helping homeowners understand the lead compliance process and tactics to adapt wood windows. It described how to spot lead paint hazards in windows, followed by solutions to remove or reduce lead hazards.

The Contractor Manual is focused on helping guide contractors on techniques used to remove lead hazards from wood windows and further describes the regulatory laws and physical process to do so. This technical guide complements the Homeowner User Guide in its content but goes into further depth for professionals. 

These resources were developed to support inspectors, contractors, and property owners in addressing lead paint hazards while preserving historic buildings. The Rhode Island Department of Health has engaged with this work by inviting Rob Cagnetta, President of Heritage Restoration, to present the guidance during a webinar for lead inspectors, recognizing its relevance to real-world renovation scenarios.

According to Cagnetta, the guides offer “clear, practical guidance that protects health without unnecessarily sacrificing historic building fabric. Property owners should be confident that many buildings can retain original windows and still meet lead safety requirements, though assembling an experienced team is essential.” He also encourages property owners to meet with inspectors early in the process to review proposed methods and establish shared expectations before work begins.