What Is the Safest Way to Strip Lead Paint?

Professional Removal

• Safe lead paint removal involves removing everything from the room including carpets. Sealing off the room from the rest of the house requires taping plastic sheeting to ducts, openings and the entire floor. Workers need disposable coveralls, shoe and hair coverings, goggles and a respirator approved by the National Institute of Safety and Health. A vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter also needs to be on hand. Careful cleaning and dusting needs to occur throughout the process. Professionals have the equipment and experience to do the job safely and take care of any problems that arise during the lead abatement.

Alternate Solutions

• Homeowners can remove and replace a door or window sill that contains lead. As long as the contaminated item can be removed easily, without stirring up paint dust, this method remains a safer alternative to paint removal. Enclosing problem areas does not solve the problem forever but can provide a short-term solution. Hang drywall over the offending area, or cover a window sill with vinyl or aluminum. You can paint over lead paint that remains in satisfactory condition, but this only postpones the eventual permanent solution needed. To encapsulate the problem paint, use a sealant that bonds to the paint.

Disposal

• If a paint chip or two falls on the floor, pick it up with a paper towel and dispose of it in the garbage. Disposal of lead contaminated materials from a large abatement requires specific precautions and provides another reason why you should leave the project to professionals. All material needs double bagging. Disposal of the bags in household trash works in small amounts only. Do not dump wash water on the ground. Filter the water with a cloth filter, and dispose of it in a sanitary sewer. Double bag the filter and the collected material. All items like rags, mops and dust-cloths used to clean up after the removal need double bagging and disposal.

Lead Poisoning

• Lead poisoning in children causes mental and physical developmental delays. Irreversible brain damage is a possibility. Attention span can also suffer after lead poisoning. Luckily, if the lead gets detected early, permanent damage can be prevented with treatment. Early symptoms include tiredness, irritability, loss of appetite, stomach discomfort, sleeplessness and constipation. Adults who get exposed to lead can exhibit poor muscle coordination, irritability and nerve damage. In pregnant women, exposure to lead can also affect the fetus.