Carpet cleaning in Delaware County, PA: older homes, lead dust and renters

Updated · KeystoneProGuide editorial team

What matters most for carpet cleaning in Delaware County?

The age of the houses, first of all. Very little of the county's housing is new, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has specific advice for cleaning carpets in older homes that may have lead paint. Nearly a third of households rent, which changes who has to deal with a leak under the carpet. And the county has two offices that take complaints: one for consumer disputes, one for health hazards in the home.

How old is Delaware County's housing?

Mostly built well before 2010. The Census Bureau estimates that only 3.5 percent of the county's 229,715 housing units were built in 2010 or later, against 6.1 percent for Pennsylvania, and that 22.1 percent were first built in 1939 or earlier. The county's own history page describes heavy residential building after the First World War in Upper Darby, Drexel Hill, Havertown and Springfield, continuing after the Second World War in places such as Westbrook Park and Marple Township.

The Census figures do not say how many homes were built before 1978, the year that matters for lead paint. They do show that almost all of the county's homes were built before 2010.

Does lead paint change how carpets should be cleaned?

It can. The EPA says homes built before 1978 are more likely to have lead-based paint, and that about three-quarters of U.S. homes from before 1978 still contain some. It also says settled lead dust can rise again when a home is vacuumed or swept or walked through.

For carpets and rugs in such a home, the EPA's advice is specific:

  • No visible paint dust or chips. A standard vacuum cleaner is fine.
  • Visible dust or debris from chipping or flaking paint. Use only a vacuum with a HEPA filter, and do not dry sweep.
  • Rugs. Do not shake or beat carpets and rugs.
  • Stains. Wet scrub or use steam-cleaning methods to remove them.

The EPA adds that anyone paid to do work that disturbs paint in housing built before 1978 must be certified in lead-safe work practices. If a job will involve more than cleaning and could disturb painted surfaces, ask the company about that rule.

What if you rent and the carpet gets wet?

The Census Bureau counts 30.4 percent of the county's occupied homes as rented, and 24.0 percent of its housing units are in buildings with more than one unit. If water reaches carpet in a rented home, the EPA tells renters to report plumbing leaks and moisture problems immediately to the building owner or manager, and says that where persistent water problems are not addressed you may want to contact local, state or federal health or housing authorities.

Timing matters for everyone. The EPA says mold can grow on carpet that stays wet for more than 24 hours, and porous materials such as carpet may have to be thrown away once moldy. Delaware County was among the counties where individuals could get federal help after the remnants of Hurricane Ida in 2021.

Where can you complain in Delaware County?

The county has two offices that may help, for different problems.

  • Consumer disputes. The Delaware County Office of Consumer Affairs, in the Government Center Building at 201 West Front Street in Media, offers voluntary mediation and takes complaints about home repair, appliance service and landlord-tenant issues, among others. Suspected criminal or fraudulent cases go to the District Attorney or the Attorney General. Its number is 610-891-4865.
  • Health hazards in the home. The county health department's Division of Environmental Health coordinates responses to public complaints on environmental and public health matters in the county. Its Wellness Line, (484) 276-2100, runs around the clock.

The state is more limited on mold: Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection says it has no authority over indoor air quality and cannot address black mold in homes. Registration checks go through the Attorney General's contractor search, which can be filtered to Delaware County, and what Pennsylvania requires explains what the state does and does not say about cleaners. Businesses that serve the county are on the Delaware County carpet cleaning page.

Sources

  1. 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year Narrative Profile: Delaware County, Pennsylvania, U.S. Census Bureau
  2. 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year Narrative Profile: Pennsylvania, U.S. Census Bureau
  3. Your County at a Glance: History, Delaware County, Pennsylvania
  4. Reduce the Risk of Lead Exposure at Home, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  5. A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  6. Flood Cleanup to Protect Indoor Air and Your Health, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  7. Consumer Affairs/Weights & Measures, Delaware County, Pennsylvania
  8. Division of Environmental Health, Delaware County, Pennsylvania
  9. President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Pennsylvania, Federal Emergency Management Agency
  10. Home Improvement Contractor Search, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
  11. Submit an Environmental Complaint to the Department of Environmental Protection, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection

Carpet Cleaning businesses in Delaware County

8 Carpet Cleaning businesses are listed in Delaware County. These are the first five, in the same order as the full list.

All Carpet Cleaning listings in Delaware County

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