Lead Paint Adaptation & Remediation Resources

Helping homeowners, landlords, and professionals choose the right guide for their needs

Lead-Safe Historic Window Resources

Historic windows often contain lead paint, but that does not mean they need to be thrown away. The City of Newport, the Newport Restoration Foundation, and Heritage Restoration worked together on a project to help property owners and professionals make historic windows lead-safe while preserving their character.

As part of that work, two companion documents were created:

  1. A Homeowner and Landlord User Guide

  2. A Research and Support Manual for professionals

This page explains the difference between the two and how each can be used.

Which Resource Should I Use?

1. Homeowner and Landlord User Guide

“Preserving Historic Windows While Remediating Lead Hazards: What a Homeowner/Landlord Needs to Know”

This guide is written for:

  • Homeowners and small landlords

  • Property managers

  • General contractors who want a clear starting point

It focuses on:

  • How to recognize lead hazards at windows

  • Simple explanations of friction, impact, and deteriorated paint

  • Practical strategies like paint stabilization, encapsulation, enclosure, and targeted repairs

  • How to find and work with licensed lead inspectors and contractors

  • Financial resources and programs that may help with mitigation costs

The tone is straightforward and practical. A motivated property owner or landlord can use this guide to:

  • Understand their obligations

  • Talk more confidently with inspectors and contractors

  • Advocate for repair and safe operation instead of automatic window replacement

This is the best resource to share publicly with your website visitors.

2. Lead Paint Adaptation and Remediation Strategies for Historic Windows

Research and Graphical Support to Newport’s Window and Door Replacement Guidelines (Research & Support Manual)

This manual is written for:

  • Preservation professionals

  • Lead inspectors and code officials

  • Architects, designers, and consultants

  • Municipal staff and policy makers

It includes:

  • Background on Rhode Island lead laws, enforcement, and penalties

  • Definitions of lead hazards and federal dust standards

  • Detailed diagrams of historic window types, parts, and balance systems

  • Component-by-component remediation strategies for friction and impact surfaces

  • Case studies of mitigated historic windows

  • A step-by-step description of the inspection and certification process

The tone is more technical and detailed. It is meant to support:

  • Professional practice and policy decisions

  • Deeper understanding of how to retrofit historic wood windows

  • Coordination between inspectors, preservationists, and property owners

This is a reference document for professionals, not a general homeowner guide.

Homeowner & Landlord User Guide

Homeowners, landlords, small property owners, general contractorsPreservation professionals, inspectors, architects, policy makers

Help people make historic windows lead-safe and pass inspection without unnecessary replacement

Plain language, practical, step-by-step

Spotting hazards, choosing strategies, working with inspectors and contractors, financial resources

Public-facing downloadable guide for everyday users

On this website as a public resource

Research & Support Manual

Preservation professionals, inspectors, architects, policy makers

Provide evidence, technical methods, and policy context for lead-safe strategies on historic windows

Technical, detailed, diagram-heavy

RI lead laws and standards, window typologies, detailed remediation strategies, case studies, inspection process

Professional reference, training, and policy support

Internally, or upon request for professionals

Main audience

Goal

Tone

Key topics

Best use

Where to share

Acknowledgments and Funding

This project reflects the work and support of many people and organizations.

Project collaborators

  • Newport Historic District Commission

  • Heritage Restoration, Inc.

  • City of Newport, Rhode Island

  • Newport Restoration Foundation

The guides were prepared by Heritage Restoration, Inc. for the Newport Restoration Foundation and the City of Newport Historic District Commission, as part of a broader effort to support lead-safe housing while preserving historic windows.

Project funders

The project is supported by:

  • The National Park Service Certified Local Government Program, administered by the Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission

  • The National Trust for Historic Preservation

Required funding acknowledgment

“The activity which is the subject of this Report has been financed in part with federal funds from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service administered by the Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission. The contents and opinions contained herein do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of the Interior or the Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission. The project is additionally funded by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.”

Equal opportunity statement

“This program receives Federal funds from the National Park Service. Regulations of the U.S. Department of the Interior strictly prohibit unlawful discrimination in departmental Federally assisted programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, or handicap. Any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility operated by a recipient of Federal assistance should write to: Director, Equal Opportunity Program, U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, P.O. 37127, Washington, D.C. 20013-7127.”