# Pressure Pros



## Msargent (Jan 16, 2009)

Ken how much of your business is pwr wash before repaint? If you dont mind me asking and how is the new epa lead rule going to affect your pwr washing business?


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## www.icopainting.com (Feb 16, 2010)

*EPA law*

I just talked to a region 2 rep. He said that you can't pressure wash a pre 1978 house anymore after April 22nd. The law says very specificly to use only a spray bottle and a sponge:blink:....... so have fun sponge bathing houses


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## www.icopainting.com (Feb 16, 2010)

That wasn't a joke either. with a $37,500 fine, it's a big deal.


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## www.icopainting.com (Feb 16, 2010)

and impossible aspect of the law if you ask me.

http://www.icopainting.com


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

www.icopainting.com said:


> I just talked to a region 2 rep. He said that you can't pressure wash a pre 1978 house anymore after April 22nd. The law says very specificly to use only a spray bottle and a sponge:blink:....... so have fun sponge bathing houses


Hi, ICO, welcome to the site.
There have been a few threads discussing the lack of specific info on Pressure Washing. I have found no specific rule on the EPA RRP regarding PW. If you have a link, please share it.
What I have seen is that the EPA RRP rule does not classify PWing as being renovation. But, OHSA and State Laws do address the reclamation of the water.


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

www.icopainting.com said:


> and impossible aspect of the law if you ask me.


:yes::yes:


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## www.icopainting.com (Feb 16, 2010)

You are right. I couldn't find it either in the law, and I've read it through probabley 4 times now. Where I got my info was from a region 2 rep on the phone. He told me he was reading directly from the law, and it said what I said above.


http://www.icopainting.com


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## www.icopainting.com (Feb 16, 2010)

The law is going to change a bit after April 22nd because of a law suit by the Sierra Club, so maybe he had an updated version. At any rate, I couldn't find what he read to me on their current version of the law.


http://www.icopainting.com


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## www.icopainting.com (Feb 16, 2010)

BTW, the law is going to change again in Sept. according to them. I don't know how though.

http://www.icopainting.com


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## NEPS.US (Feb 6, 2008)

Hey ICO..... It helps whe you spell the names of your suppliers correctly on your site. :jester:


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## aaron61 (Apr 29, 2007)

Why is it that everyone has posted here except PP??????????????????


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## www.icopainting.com (Feb 16, 2010)

Thanks for letting me know:blink:.
http://www.icopainting.com


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## www.icopainting.com (Feb 16, 2010)

BTW, I double checked on what I had posted earlier and I was correct. The law says no pressure washing, and according to the region 2 rep I talked to today, anything that puts water on the house and drips to the ground is now "illegal". Their reasoning is that since lead paint chalks by nature, any thing that washes it off will saturate the groung with lead.

http://www.icopainting.com


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## BC_Painter (Feb 14, 2010)

www.icopainting.com said:


> BTW, I double checked on what I had posted earlier and I was correct. The law says no pressure washing, and according to the region 2 rep I talked to today, anything that puts water on the house and drips to the ground is now "illegal". Their reasoning is that since lead paint chalks by nature, any thing that washes it off will saturate the groung with lead.
> 
> http://www.icopainting.com


They'd better figure out a way to stop rain from touching this siding then! That gets it wet and lets it drip on the ground.

Wait for swat teams to tackle a kid with a badly aimed water balloon! or the poor guy who misplaces his sprinkler!

Anything that "puts" water on the house and let's it srip is ridiculous!


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

www.icopainting.com said:


> BTW, I double checked on what I had posted earlier and I was correct. The law says no pressure washing, and according to the region 2 rep I talked to today, anything that puts water on the house and drips to the ground is now "illegal". Their reasoning is that since lead paint chalks by nature, any thing that washes it off will saturate the groung with lead.
> 
> http://www.icopainting.com


Not trying to be contrary here, can you post a link to the RRP Rule that states that?


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## www.icopainting.com (Feb 16, 2010)

You're not being contrary at all. I asked him ,for you actualy, "what section is that aspect of the law under", but he just kept going on about other things. He read it to me though, from somewhere. So I still don't know. You can call 1-800-424-lead, or the region two office at 732-321-6671. I'm just tired of talking to them ....they kinda bug me when you have a question and they just preach to you about your moral obligation and they don't fully answer your question.

http://www.icopainting.com


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## www.icopainting.com (Feb 16, 2010)

I just searched their site through and could not find it. I don't know what they are reading from. Maybe it's what they would like you to do, and not what we are required to do. I'll keep looking.

http://www.icopainting.com


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## www.icopainting.com (Feb 16, 2010)

A quote from th Institute for Env. Education's EPA Pamphlet:

*Work Practices​*1) Is pressure washing on the exterior of a building considered abrasive blasting by EPA and if not is it allowed?​a) EPA Answer: No, it's not. Pressure washing is allowed.
http://www.ieetrains.com/docs/RRP Q & A.pdf

http://www.icopainting.com


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

Thanks, I have seen that. Part of the problem is the mixed messages given by different trainers and EPA workers. The rules are not final yet either. There are state laws pertaining to wastewater, but nothing (yet) in RRP.
Thanks


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## Msargent (Jan 16, 2009)

Here in Vt with new epa rrp rules we are not allowed to pressure wash pre 1978 houses. Low pressure water hose and hand wash only


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## www.icopainting.com (Feb 16, 2010)

So here is what I found out. It seems People in the Epa have their "interpretations" of the law. The Rep I talked to today said that it is not directly anywhere in the law. He said that he just strongly reccomends against it. So the short of it: you can pressure wash according to the law, they just don't want you to and some will say you can't. It does open you to a bit of liability though. He was very knowledgable. His name is Carlos Martin: 732-321-4374.


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