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Lead Safe Remodeling

Remodeling Lead Safe Can Be Easy!

What is the risk?

If you are remodeling an older home, you may be poisoning your family with lead. Children under age six are most at risk. A pregnant woman's unborn child is also at risk because lead can pass through her body to the baby.

Lead is especially poisonous to children under age six because they are growing rapidly and absorb lead efficiently. Childhood lead poisoning is associated with impaired development, learning disabilities and loss of I.Q. In adults, high levels of lead can cause memory loss, nerve disorders and fertility problems. However, lead poisoning associated with remodeling may be easily prevented.

Lead in paint is the most common source of exposure for children. Lead-based paint can create lead dust when it is disturbed during remodeling or when it is in poor condition. Paint that is in good condition is not typically a health hazard. Lead gets into children's bodies when they put dusty toys or dirty fingers into their mouths.

Where is lead?

Lead was used in paint to make it last longer. Most houses built before 1978 contain lead paint. In 1978, the Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the sale of lead paint for residential use. Because of its durability, lead paint was used on building exteriors, doors, baseboards and windows. Lead paint was often used in kitchens and bathrooms. Wood floors were sometimes coated with lead paint.

To find out if your home has lead paint, you can:

• Use a home test kit.

These test kits are available at most hardware stores. These kits can tell you if a painted surface contains lead, but home test kits may not always be reliable. Follow the directions carefully when using test kits.

• Hire a certified professional to evaluate your home.

A professional uses instruments and laboratory tests to more accurately identify lead. A lead inspector will tell you if and where lead is present in your home. A risk assessor will find out if the lead in your home poses a health problem. Utah law requires that lead inspectors and risk assessors be certified by the Utah Department of Environmental Quality.

Minimize the lead risk

Before you start remodeling:

If you live in a pre-1978 home, assume you have lead in your paint and take appropriate precautions:

• Call your local health department for assistance. Your local health department can provide you with additional information about safe work practices to help minimize lead exposure in your home.
• Consider getting a lead inspection or a risk assessment from a certified professional before starting a painting or remodeling project.

While working:

• Use one set of work clothes and shoes when you are painting or remodeling. Remove each time you leave the work area. Store them in the work area when you are not working on your project. Be sure to wash your work clothes separately from the rest of your family's clothing.
• Wash your hands every time you leave the work area.
• Use fresh plastic drop cloths each time you work to keep dust and debris from spreading.
• Use extra caution when working with doors and windows because they are often high in lead
• Keep children and pets away from the work area. Pets can spread lead dust from the work area to the rest of your home.
• Isolate the work area as much as possible. Keep drafts and airflow at a minimum to prevent the spread of dust.
• Use work methods that minimize dust and debris. Avoid sanding or burning paint; these activities create lead dust and fumes which can poison your family. Instead, spray surfaces with water and wet scrape paint. Try to keep things wet at all times. This prevents the spread of lead dust and keeps it in one area for easier clean up.

Clean up:

• Clean up the work area at the end of each day. Mist the drop cloth with water and fold it toward the middle so no paint chips or lead dust can fall out. Throw it in the garbage.
• Clean the floor with a wet mop instead of using the household vacuum. Wipe surfaces with a wet rag. Use a high-phosphate cleaning agent such as TSP (trisodium phosphate) to absorb lead better. Instead of TSP, you could use a solution of dishwasher detergent and water. Make sure the detergent is high in phosphates.
• Throw away dirty rags used for cleanup.
  Shower at the end of each workday.

Links

Utah Department of Environmental Quality

HUD Lead Paint Safety Field Guide (1.3 MB)