Safety tips for removing lead paint
Q. In a recent article, you recommended using paint remover to get rid of lead paint in an old home. I recently used a heat gun to remove the lead paint in my home. The paint just blistered and wrinkled up when the heat was applied. Then it was easy to scrape it off without a lot of messy, smelling paint remover. What do you think about that method?
A. Heat guns can be effective and efficient for removing lead paint, but they can also be hazardous because of harmful vapors released into the air when the paint is heated. Hopefully, you took adequate precautions when you did this. The main reason for removing lead paint from a home is to eliminate a material that can be hazardous to the health of occupants. Obviously, you don't want to expose yourself and others to lead vapor and other airborne contaminants in the process of removal. So here are some tips for the safe removal of lead paint when using a heat gun.
• Wear a respirator with a cartridge specially designed for filtering lead.
• Make sure the work area is well ventilated by means of exhaust fans.
• Wear a set of disposable coveralls during the entire process.
• Seal off the work area from other rooms of the house.
• Remove furnishings from the room prior to beginning work.
• Treat the removed paint as toxic waste. Seal the residue in a double plastic bag and take it to a waste disposal site that deals with toxic materials.
• Have buckets of water and a fire extinguisher nearby when working with a heat gun.
Lead paint was commonly used in homes prior to 1978, and leftover supplies of lead paint were still being used in the years after its manufacture was outlawed. Therefore, anyone removing paint in homes built in 1980 or earlier should be aware that precautions may be necessary. Lead testing kits can be purchased online or from some hardware stores.
Q. I am a potential homebuyer and recently got myself in trouble with a real estate agent. While looking at a home that was for sale, I noticed a ceiling stain in the bathroom and wondered if it was wet. So I touched it, and a piece of the plaster fell onto the floor. The agent insists that I damaged the property and am liable for the cost of repairs. Do you think this is my responsibility?
A. Good plaster does not break when merely touched. If the ceiling plaster was in good condition, touching it would not have caused a piece to break off. The fact that a piece fell means the plaster was already in deteriorated condition and already in need of repair.
If you had done something extraordinary to the ceiling, it would make sense to hold you liable for the cost of repair. For the agent to press you on this point is neither reasonable nor professional.
• To write to Barry Stone, visit him on the web at www.housedetective.com, or write AMG, 1776 Jami Lee Court, Suite 218, San Luis Obispo, CA 94301.
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