Maryland laws and regulations regarding the reduction of lead risk in rental housing provide for inspections to be conducted at various times. A rental dwelling unit which was constructed prior to 1978 must, at a minimum, meet the Risk Reduction Standard. The chart below displays the current standards. Area tested Old Standards Current standards (effective July 1, 2020) Floor ≥ 40 µg/ft2 ≥ 10 µg/ft2 Window sill ≥ 250 µg/ft2 ≥ 100 µg/ft2 Window well ≥ 400 µg/ft2 ≥ 100 µg/ft2   The property owner should review the available inspection options to select the inspection service which best suits their needs. All lead paint inspectors are required by law to notify MDE at least 24 hours prior to an inspection appointment – they may show up at…

This inspection requires a Dust Inspection, which is generally conducted in a vacant unit prior to occupancy by a new tenant.  This inspection must be done before a new tenant moves in. An inspector must collect dust samples from each room in the unit.  Each dust sample must be analyzed by a qualified laboratory, and the results must fall below specified levels. In general, testing for lead contaminated dust is most likely to be successful in a clean, well maintained property. Flaking or chalking lead paint on windows, in particular, may be an important source of lead dust in a unit. Visual Inspection…

This inspection requires both a Visual Inspection and a Dust Inspection and is generally conducted in an occupied unit in response to either: (a) A notice of defective paint or related conditions which may increase the risk of lead exposure; or (b) A notice that a child or pregnant woman in the unit has a lead level of 10 micrograms or higher per deciliter of blood. Prior to the Visual Inspection, the property owner should review the lead hazard reduction requirements of the law. All work performed to meet the lead hazard reduction standards, including cleaning, must be conducted by an MDE accredited…