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This April, the EPA will issue a vitally important regulation pertaining to the abatement and containment of lead paint. This newest installation pertains to repairs and renovations in homes built before 1978. Take into consideration that 87 percent of this country's housing stock was built before 1940 — when lead paint was the only option — and you have a public health concern that is worth taking seriously. So seriously that the EPA will require any Maryland-based contractor or remodeler that performs painting, repairs or renovations in homes built before 1978 be certified in "lead-safe" work practices.

What this means for many area homeowners is that the EPA is holding the remodeling industry accountable for keeping your family out of lead's harm's way. In addition to being trained in a variety of containment and abatement practices, certified remodelers and contractors must present you with a brochure that outlines the EPA's new lead safety practices. Entitled "Renovate Right," this brochure outlines what you need to know about the health issues associated with lead paint dust, and how the dust must be contained, abated and cleaned prior to, during and after a renovation.

If you are planning a renovation project in a home built before 1978, hiring a certified contractor is more important than ever. Will this increase the cost of a renovation? Mostly likely. Is this cost worth the peace of mind that your family won't be breathing a substance almost as toxic as asbestos? Absolutely.

The EPA has given the home renovation and repair industry enough time to come up to speed on this training and certification. The law takes effect in April. So when you ask for a contractor's copy of its lead certification and the EPA brochure, they should comply without hesitation. If they don't, keep looking until you find one that cares as much about your family's safety as you do.

Jerry Levine, Silver Spring

The writer is the president of the Metro D.C. Chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.