Tips for Lead Paint Removal

Until the 1970s, modern house paint was manufactured with lead in the United States. But, exposure to lead paint chips or dust is a serious health risk, particularly for children and pregnant women, making houses with lead paint a silent hazard. When renovating old housing stock, it is imperative to remove lead paint for the safety of future inhabitants. Lead paint removal, or lead abatement, is an advanced home improvement project that involves a high level of danger. Consider hiring a professional.

Keep Dust To A Minimum
Lead paint removal is a serious job. Your number one priority should be to generate as little dust as possible.

In some cases, lead paint can be covered using an encapsulating material. An encapsulant covers and bonds to the lead paint molecules. It is extremely important to follow the product's instructions to insure that a proper bond is achieved.

You should consider replacing windows, doors and wood trim. The intricate decorative wood work associated with these pieces makes it difficult to remove all traces of lead paint.

Preparing For Removal
Work in one room at a time. Seal the work area from the rest of the room, including all windows and ventilation ducts. Heavy (6 mil or greater) plastic should be used to seal the area.

• Remove everything from the room. All furniture, appliances, rugs and drapes should be removed form the work area. Anything that can't be moved should be seal completely in heavy (6 mil or greater) plastic.
• Protect yourself. You (and anyone working in the room) should wear disposable coveralls, shoes, gloves, goggles and head coverings. Everyone involved should wear a HEPA style respirator.
• Keep your mouth shut. When in the work area, don't eat, drink or smoke.
• Clean up carefully. All workers should vacuum dust from their clothes with a HEPA vacuum cleaner and shower as soon as they leave the work area.

Removing Lead Paint
Remember, your number one priority is to generate as little dust as possible! These are the most effective means of physically removing lead paint:

• Wire brushing or wet sanding. Use a non-flammable solvent or abrasive for large areas. Liquid paint remover can be used for small areas or detail work.
• Wet hand or power sanding. Only use sanding tools that feature HEPA filtered vacuum attachments. Never dry sand lead paint.
• Heat stripping. Use a low temperature heat gun and follow it up with hand scraping. This method generates lead dust and vapors, so use extreme caution and protective measures.

Clean Up / Disposal
Debris should be misted with water and swept into double, heavy (at least 6 mil) bags. All surfaces should be wet-dusted and wet-mopped.

A HEPA vacuum cleaner should be use on all surfaces. Hardwood surfaces should be mopped with a heavy duty cleaning solution, allowed to dry, then HEPA vacuumed again.

All mops, cleaning tools and debris should be disposed of according to local regulations. Lead paint debris may be considered a hazardous waste in your area and must be handled carefully.

Are You Up For This?
Lead paint removal is a difficult and dangerous task. If you have any doubts about your ability to carry out this type of job, consider hiring a professional.