Lead has long been recognized as
a harmful ingredient in paints. Paints used in the 70’s often contained lead.
Lead can have adverse effects on the health of children, pregnant mothers and
generally everyone. Its effects are prominent in kidneys, brain, central
nervous system and blood cells. These effects are usually fatal and it is
therefore important to take good care while handling lead based paints.
When to remove
Lead based paints will not pose a
hazard unless the paint is deteriorating. Ensure that you are removing the
paint only when it is necessary. These times could be if the paint is peeling,
when you are remodeling your house or when you are doing it as a preventive
measure.
Source of problem
Look for what is causing the
paint to chip or peel. These could be plumbing problems or leakages on the
roof. Make sure that you fix these problems to avoid any further problems in
future.
Clear the work area
Separate the work area from the
living area. Ensure that the dust associated with the remodeling process is
contained only in the work area. This can be done using a proper ventilation
strategy or using barriers.
Prepare the area
Before you begin removing the
paint, protect surfaces in the room such as floor and also protect furniture
and other equipment in the room by covering them with plastic sheets. Scraping
window sills, removing molding or sanding woodwork could release lead particles
in form of dust. Also remove drapes, curtains, toys, rugs and any removable
furniture in the room as these may trap dust.
Protective gear
These are necessary to protect
yourself from the harmful lead dust. Your whole body should be covered so as to
completely reduce your chances of contacting the lead dust. Also let everyone not involved in the process
leave the building.
Paint removal
There are a number of ways of
removing lead based paints:
Heat stripping . This involves
using a low temperature heat gun and later scrapping by hand. However, this
method should only be used by experienced people as the gun could cause fires.
Wet hand scrapping or wire brushing
. This involves using liquids to remove the paint. The non- flammable solvents
are usually used on small areas. Manufacturer’s instructions should be followed
when using solvents.
Sanding (wet hand or using
power). HEPA filtered vacuum attachment is necessary for electric sanders or
wet hand sanding equipment. This helps to contain the dust. Dry sand increases
chances of more dust formation. Interior renovation Long Island discourages use
of equipment without the HEPA attachment, using abrasives to remove the paint
and open flame torching.
Clean up
Carefully remove the plastic
sheets. Hold them by the corners so as not to drop dust. Cleaning procedures
are also provided on the internet. By following these procedures for daily and
weekly cleaning, you will be safely handling lead- based paints. Overall care
should always be taken when handling lead- based paints
as their effects are hazardous.
