Lead-Based Paint

Prior to being banned as a paint additive in 1978, lead was manufactured into paint for four primary reasons: pigmentation, durability, corrosion resistance, and as a mold inhibitor. Lead can also be found in primers, stains, varnishes, and shellacs.

What is a Hazard?

Not all lead-based paint is classified as a hazard.

Lead-based paint is defined as paint or other surface coating that contains lead at or above the Federal limit of 1.0 mg per square centimeter or greater than .5% by weight. However, at its peak use, lead actually accounted for up to 50% by weight, and 100 times the current federal definition.

A lead-based paint hazard is any condition that causes exposure to lead from:

1. Deteriorated lead-based paint.

2. Lead-based paint that is present on chewable, impact, or friction surfaces (such as window sills, door casings, and window sashes).
3. Lead contaminated dust.
4. Lead contaminated soil.

Lead-based paint in good condition (not peeling or cracking) on a wall may not be considered a hazard unless disturbed or deteriorated in the future. Typically, lead-based paint on a friction or impact surface (such as a window or door frame) is considered a hazard regardless of the current condition, due to the dust and chips generated by everyday use.

Locating Lead-Based Paint

Home tests for lead-based paint are not considered reliable by the Federal Consumer Products Safety Commission. In a CPSC evaluation of 104 tests in 2007, more than half came back with false negatives (indicating no lead when there was actually lead in the paint).

The most reliable means of testing is the X-Ray Frequency, or XRF, test. This is a hand-held device that is able to measure the presence of lead by bouncing low-level radiation off the surface. These machines are not available for home use and must be handled by a qualified professional. A professional lead hazard risk assessment costs about $200 to $300 and will identify all lead-based paint hazards in and outside a structure.

Professional testing facilities can determine the presence of lead in a sample using mass spectrometers and chemical tests.

Of the homes built prior to 1950, nearly all (98%) contain lead-based paint. Homes built prior to 1960 represent a higher risk due to higher lead content in the paint. However, because lead paint additives were not banned until 1978, the Iowa Department of Public health recommends that in the absence of a lead hazard risk assessment conducted by a qualified professional, homeowners and contractors should ASSUME that all paint in homes built prior to 1978 contains lead. This is the safest approach to home maintenance and renovation.

In fact, a home's age and condition are the best indicators of the presence of lead-based paint hazards.

Renovate Right - EPA Lead Paint Regulation

Note: Iowa has received approval from the EPA to administer this rule at the State level. See THIS ARTICLE for updated information specific to Iowa

Starting on April 22, 2010, every contractor who works on a house built before 1978 or any "child-occupied facility" where work will disturb lead based paint, must have successfully completed a certified renovator course delivered by an EPA-accredited trainer. In addition every firm involved in renovation in target housing must be registered with the EPA. This rule applies, with a few exceptions, to all renovations performed for compensation in target housing and child-occupied facilities. A home owner working on his or her specific owner-occupied housing unit is exempt from the rule, though it is of course strongly recommended that lead-safe work practices be followed.

In a nutshell - covered by the rule is any renovation where the work area will disturb either 1 square foot of painted surface. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Window replacement or repair

• Door replacement or repair
• Gutters
• Trim
• Cabinets
• Blown-in Insulation
• Siding/soffits
• Painting/stripping
• Plumbing, electrical, and HVAC (if walls are disturbed)
• Floor sanding
• Demolition

An owner may request that a certified contractor test hard surfaces (except drywall/plaster) for presence of lead based paint. There is not currently an EPA-recognized field test for lead based paint on drywall/plaster. The owner may contract with a certified risk assessor to do a more comprehensive report with an XRF machine or lab-test samples. In the case that the work area is determined negative for lead based paint, the contractor does not have to utilize lead-safe work practices.

Why is this a big deal? Several reasons - first the good:

• Most contractors have been doing things wrong for a long time. Many common construction practices create lead hazards for occupants, workers, and their families. This rule will help turn the tide and pretty much makes up for all of the "bad" and "ugly" below.

• There will be a lot of consumer education - home owners and tenants will have a greater ability to demand that contractors use lead safe work practices.

Now the bad:

• Becoming a Certified Renovator will cost contractors money and time. The training is 8 hours and firm certification may cost upwards of $300.

• The procedures for establishing a lead safe work environment are logical and necessary, but also time consuming and detail oriented.
• Contractors will assume more liability, and potential fines are steep.
• Contractors as a general rule are relatively resistant to changes and requirements such as this.

It is up to all of us in the residential renovation world to learn about the new requirements, demand that our contractors become certified, and of course, make sure that they follow the necessary lead safe work practices when they are working in our homes. Homeowners must advocate strongly for their own safety even if contractors argue against it.

Lead Paint Safety Field Guide

This field guide gives sound and practical advice for minimizing lead-based paint exposure hazards during demolition and construction.

Lead-Safe Cleaning Practices

Congratulations, you have gone to heroic lengths to minimize creation of dust and paint chips during demolition and construction. But, you're not done yet! A thorough final cleaning is one of the most important steps when working in a home with lead-based paint. Here are the steps to follow for the final clean (source: Lead Paint Safety: A Field Guide for Painting, Home Maintenance and Renovation work – US Department of Housing and Urban Development).

1. Pick Up Work Area
   • Pick up large chips with a damp paper towel.

   • Mist and then push dust into a dust pan (window wells and floor in particular).
2. Pick Up Protective Sheeting
   • Fold dirty side inwards.

   • Dispose of protective sheeting at the end of each job – DO NOT REUSE. For residential work in Des Moines, IA, this sheeting may be disposed of with household waste. If you take it to a dump, you may need to let them know it contains lead-based paint from a residential job. Check with your local officials for any additional requirements.
3. Vacuum
   • HEPA vacuum all horizontal surfaces. Work from the top down.

   • Vacuum all trim, ledges, sills, stools, molding tops, and other dusty surfaces.
   • Vacuum the floor under the work area. Use a corner tool in corners, cracks in trim, and spaces between floor boards.
   • Vacuum floor with a floor brush and carpet with a carpet tool – vacuum carpet very slowly.
4. Mist/Scrub Wall and Trim
   • Use a two-bucket system. One bucket with a detergent water for rinsing (a household detergent soap may be used) and a separate bucket for waste water. Change the rinse water often.

   • Wet rag, scrub surface (use a mister to wet surface and rag as you clean), and ring into waste water bucket.
   • Change rinse water often and use paper towels first if surfaces are very dirty. Replace the rag when it looks dirty.
   • Clean until dust and debris are removed.
5. Mop Floor
   • Use a two-bucket system. One bucket with a detergent water for rinsing (a household detergent soap may be used) and a separate squeeze bucket for waste water. Change the rinse water often.

   • Soak the mop in detergent water and mist a small area with detergent water. Scrub with mop.
   • Squeeze mop into empty bucket before rinsing in rinse water. Squeeze out and rinse again. Mop small areas at a time, and rinse often.
   • Rinse floor area. Repeat the above process using clean water in place of detergent. Use a new mop head for the rinse stage.
6. Re-Vacuum
   • Make a final, thorough pass with a HEPA vacuum.

Lead-Safe Work Practices Demonstration - Railing Repair

As part of my children's (ages 5 and 3) exploration of the physical world around them, they kicked out several balusters in our front porch railing. They also got a lesson in truth and consequences.

I got a Weekend Project.

It was clear that I was dealing with lead-based paint. While the paint on the railing is in generally good condition - not what would typically be considered a lead paint hazard - it was also clear that my repair project would be disturbing it, with the potential to create a hazard where none had existed before. It was actually amazing how much paint debris was created during this relatively minor undertaking.

Lead-Safe Work Practices can be distilled into three parts:

• Work Smart - prepare the work area and follow the best practices

• Work Wet - use water to minimize creation of lead dust
• Work Clean - Clean up the work area to remove any lead dust created during the project

The following is a demonstration of Lead-Safe Work Practices on an exterior repair project. It's not perfect, and I will discuss areas where I would recommend different practices and where I would do things differently the next time.

The Project

Here is what remains of the railing. Luckily, all the balusters were recovered.

Supplies and Set-up

Here is a list of the project supplies. Not all of them are shown in the photo below.

• 4-mil Poly Sheeting - I used 4 instead of 6-mil because this was a relatively short project and I was not going to beat it up. Use 6-mil for tougher jobs.

• Masking tape - I used regular masking tape. I would not recommend blue painter's tape because it won't stick as well. For tougher jobs, use duct tape.
• Various scrapers - The 5-in-one painter's tool was the most useful. Also shown is a rigid putty knife and a plastic scraper (not useful at all).
• Spray bottles - Have more than one. You can use it for clean-up if you don't need it for the actual job.
• Paint brushes - A bad one for the stripper and decent ones for painting.
• Paint stripper - Read the instructions and use proper PPE (personal protective equipment), particularly if you are working inside.
• Metal can - To hold the chemical stripper
• Cordless drill and bits - While I had all the plastic out, I decided to resecure the railing as well.
• Screws - 2-1/2 deck screws
• Rags - Invaluable for cleanup. You will throw these away, so don't use good ones.
• Paper towels - Again, for cleanup.
• Primer and paint - I used a spray primer so I wouldn't chance getting lead dust on a brush.

It is important to have all the supplies on hand because once you start work, you should not leave the work area. Leaving the work area creates opportunities to track lead dust into an otherwise clean area. In the same vein, drink a healthy glass of water before starting as well. Having food and drink inside the work area is a no-no because of the potential for you to consume lead dust.

Once you have all your supplies and tools assembled, the next step is to contain the work area. It is recommended by HUD and the EPA to lay out plastic sheeting a minimum of 10 feet in all directions of the work area. Close all windows and doors within 20 feet of the work area.

Since a portion of the work area was on the deck, I taped the poly sheeting down to the deck. This is typically done on interior work to prevent lead dust from getting underneath the sheeting. I cut it around the columns and taped it to the them to prevent lead dust from getting through.

I also had to contain the area on the outside of the deck to prevent paint chips and lead dust from falling in the planting area below. I rolled bricks in the sheeting to prevent it from blowing in the wind (if you use this method, roll the bricks from underneath so any paint chips and/or water that fall, don't contaminate the brick. It is important to create a "lip" at the edge of the sheeting in order to catch debris and dust.

After getting the sheeting set, I laid out all the tools and supplies on the plastic. The whole set-up took about a half-hour.

The project

The balusters were caked in paint, particularly around the base where they connected to the bottom rail. It would have been impossible to reattach them safely (so the paint wouldn't chip), so I opted to remove the paint completely using a chemical stripper. If I had to do it again, I would either cut new balusters or wrap them in plastic, take them to a stripping company, and have them do it. The DIY chemical stripper results were not worth the effort.

My first order of business was to start the chemical stripper. I set up a section towards the side of my work area to do the stripping. My thought was to do the wet scraping and railing repair while the chemical stripper was "cooking".

Next I got started with the wet scraping by spraying down the rail with water. Saturate the scraping area completely.

I found the 5-in-one tool to be the most useful for getting all the gunk and chipping paint. Unfortunately, a previous owner had used construction adhesive as a temporary fix to secure the balusters. The 5-in-one made prying that out a little easier.

Keep the sprayer in one hand and the scraper in the other. make sure the area you are scraping stays wet. Your poly sheeting will collect the water and debris.

HUD and the EPA recommend wearing protective disposable gloves. I did not have any on hand, so I made sure to wash my hands thoroughly after working. In the future, I will wear latex gloves.

After wet scraping, I secured the top and bottom rails. First I drilled pilot holes. Then I used a 1/4" bit to drill out a small countersink (to be filled with wood putty before painting).

I secured each rail section with a 2-1/2" coated deck screw on each side.

Then I cleaned up the rails with water and rags.

Once this was done, I was ready to scrape the balusters. This was horrible work, and like I said before, not worth it. I didn't feel I could clean the 5-in-one adequately after scraping the chemical stripper because it was covered in lead-paint goo. I threw it away (see "clean-up" below).

After the scraping, I set the balusters on a new piece of poly to dry.

By this time, the rails were dry and ready to prime. I used spray primer to make sure that I didn't get any residual lead dust on my paint brushes. I also caulked the seams and edges where the rail meets the porch column.

Clean-Up

After this work was done, it was time for clean-up. Each tool was carefully wiped down with soapy water and a paper towel, and then rinsed. I opted to dispose of a couple of the scraping tools that didn't appear that they could be cleaned well enough. The chemical stripper goo was just too invasive, and I didn't want to risk getting lead dust on my hands every time I used them in the future, and possibly contaminate the rest of my toolbox. This is another reason I would choose not to use chemical stripper on future similar projects.

The poly sheeting allows for a quick clean: simply roll the sheeting up onto itself and tape it closed. All the used rags and paper towels were folded up in the plastic.

I had a few feet left in my 25 foot roll, so I went ahead and double-wrapped the package.

Then I wrote on it with a Sharpie "Lead Paint Residential Waste". As of December 21, 2004, the state of Iowa does not require that lead paint waste from a residential renovation or repair project be treated as hazardous waste. It can be disposed of as part of regular residential waste.

All clothes went immediately into the washer. An additional empty cleaning cycle was run after the clothes came out.

Next came repairs to the balusters: filling areas where the wood had split off from being kicked. After the repairs, all pieces were primed before being reinstalled. I back-primed the ends of the balusters as well.

They were reinstalled and pinned in place (toenailed at the bottom and top) with stainless steel finishing nails. The the entire assembly was painted with an exterior semi-gloss latex paint, matched to the original.

All told, this project took about 4 hours (not including drying time and purchasing supplies). Simply tacking the balusters back in place would have been much faster, but ultimately, would have been a stop-gap solution that would have created a lead hazard in a location where children frequent. Lead paint is not an unknown - we know that it is harmful to children in particular, so I was unwilling to compromise on this repair.

"Don't Spread Lead" Video

Practical "How To" video on lead safe work practices (with an intro by This Old House's Norm Abrams).

Part 1:

Part 2:

Polk County Lead Based Paint Flyers

The Polk County Health Department has testing and remediation programs available, with a focus on families with young children. These fliers give more information on the programs and who to contact. The Polk County Lead Program is dedicated to the prevention of childhood lead poisoning by reducing lead paint hazards and increasing awareness about the dangers posed by lead.

In accordance with a new state law, children are required to be tested for elevated blood levels of lead prior to entering school.

• The test is the only way to know if your child is lead poisoned.

• Insist on this test from your physician. It’s covered by insurance.
• If you don’t have a physician, contact Polk County Health Department for locations of free testing sites.
• Get ALL YOUR CHILDREN under 6 tested for lead. Ideally, you should test your children at ages 1 and 2, and more often for children in hazardous homes.

Lead-Safe Gardening

Lead paint from deteriorated siding, windows, and trim can contaminate soil. Lead doesn't disappear, so it is not safe to assume that soil near a pre-1978 home is lead free, even if the exterior paint is currently in good condition.

Polk County published several tips to help gardeners stay lead safe.

• Garden well away from old buildings where deteriorated lead paint has fallen, and away from heavily traveled roadways, where lead from gasoline may have settled.

• Avoid planting root crops in soil that contains more than 1,000 ppm of lead and do not plant crops in soil that contains more than 1,500 ppm of lead. University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory can provide supplies for you to do a soil test for $20. Call 800-421-4692.
• Always wash and peel all vegetables, fruit and root crops before eating. Consider using raised beds with clean dirt for your garden.