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Lead Paint Safety and Removal

If you live an older house which was built prior to 1978 then your home might have been painted with lead based paint. Paint containing lead can be a serious hazard to your health and especially younger children's health if exposed to chips, cracking, peeling, or inhaling of lead paint dust. A federal law took effect in 1978 to outlaw any lead based paint to be used in the household. If your home was built after 1978 then you most likely do not have lead in your home and don't need to worry about anything.

For those that do have an older home that was never remodeled and may potentially have lead paint still, we highly recommend that you seek a professional and experienced contractor or painter to examine your home for potential safety threats. All painters and contractors are required by law to take a course pertaining to the lead-paint safety, hazards, and laws, and this is why we highly recommend using a licensed and insured professional to perform any home improvement projects.

There are a number of ways to reduce exposure to lead within the home:

• Separate working areas from living areas - During any remodel work it is absolutely necessary to isolate the working area from the living area with heavy plastic, tarps, and tape. Your contractor will typically perform this separation for any type of project but more so for those involving lead paint.
• Keep the house dust free and clean - Chipped lead or even lead dust remnants can easily spread throughout the home if not contaminated properly. Frequently clean doors, windows, sills, and floors to contain any potential lead particles. Always wash your hands and spray down any areas that you may have touched during a remodel involving areas of lead paint.
• Leave it alone - if you know you have lead paint and it's not chipping or dusting then leave the area alone to avoid any spreading. Don't scrub, sand or peel any paint any areas with paint unless you plan on remodeling or removing the entire item in question.
• Hire a professional - Never perform the remodel or removal job yourself. Always hire a licensed painter or contractor that has the proper training and experience when dealing with any potential areas with lead paint.

The biggest factor in avoiding any lead paint hazard or safety issues is to hire a professional contractor or painting company to safely remove and/or replace any leaded areas and to repaint the area with new paint. Paint purchased nowadays will never contain lead.