Getting Lead Out Is Wise Move but Use Caution
A routine paint or remodeling job at your home or apartment may be hazardous to your physical and financial well-being.
Thanks to the presence of lead in most paint manufactured before 1978, simply scraping old paint from a doorjamb or chipping away at paint on a wall may expose your children to the risk of lead poisoning. Even opening a tight window and scratching some old lead-based paint may be enough to release toxic dust into the air--creating an especially troublesome hazard for infants and pregnant mothers.
An estimated 3.8 million U.S. children are at risk for brain and kidney damage if they chew on peeling paint chips or play in an area that has lead-based paint dust, according to congressional testimony. Most children initially have no symptoms other than generic ailments such as headaches, irritability and loss of appetite. That’s why child health care experts suggest that young children who live or go to school in a structure built before 1978 get tested once a year through the age of 6.
California law already requires sellers of residential property to disclose known hazards, such as lead, to prospective home buyers. A new federal law requires most VA and FHA borrowers to sign a statement that they’ve been informed about lead and its consequences. A similar form may soon be required for all home buyers.
Paul Stevenson made lead inspection a contingency in the purchase of a Woodland Hills home that he and his family are set to move into next month.
“I have a 6-month-old son at home, and I was concerned,” he said.
Stevenson spent $300 just to test for the presence of lead at the Crespi Street home. That inspection revealed the presence of lead in some of the paint surface covering a bathroom and part of the exterior. The estimated cost of abating this problem is about $1,900, and the Stevensons used that fact as a way to get further concessions out of the seller.
“It was a factor that could make or break a deal for me,” Paul Stevenson said. “Anybody who’s unsure should get the lead test done.”
“Fairly low levels of lead can cause big damage,” said homeowner Barbara Facher. She and her husband, civil rights attorney Mark Rosenbaum, discovered high levels of lead in their Angeleno Heights home three years ago. The couple and their young child ended up moving out of their home for a year and spending $70,000 to remove all vestiges of the old lead-based paint.
“When we went though this, there was nobody to turn to locally,” Facher recalled. The family paid to bring experts from Boston to remedy the problem.
Old lead paint must not be scraped or sandblasted because that only releases lead dust into the air. The preferred removal methods involve wetting all the work surfaces to minimize dust, or using vacuum systems equipped with a special filter to trap microscopic particulates in the air.
Facher and Rosenbaum replaced all the windows and moldings in their home, and all the old plaster was replaced with new drywall.
“We went into debt,” Facher said, “but we feel much safer, and I think our house now has more appeal for people with kids.”
One of the contractors who worked with Facher is Gary Rochlin of Venice-based Lead Tech. Rochlin got involved in the lead issue when he discovered that his young daughter was being poisoned by lead solder used to hold water pipes together at home.
“Most painters and general contractors are not aware or interested in the issue of lead poisoning at this point,” Rochlin said.
Owners of residential property can employ three methods to test for lead-based paint. There’s atomic absorption spectometry, which works by burning a paint sample. This generally costs about $150, plus $30 to $40 for each sample taken at home.
Next there’s X-ray fluorescent field analysis, which measures radiation that’s bounced off a paint sample. This costs about $500 for a 2,000-square-foot home.
And finally there are chemical tests with lead-check swabs. These tests can be done by a professional or with a kit that is sold in some hardware stores. One such at-home test is known as Lead Check. The number to call to order this test kit is (800) 262-LEAD. A competitor is Lead Alert. Its kits can be obtained by calling (800) 359-9000. Prices for the kits and shipping range from $20 to $50.
California doesn’t have formal licensing for lead testing and abatement services, Rochlin said, but he predicted that the state will soon follow Massachusetts in its licensing requirements.
“I would not buy a home that I haven’t tested,” Rochlin said. And “I would definitely test prior to any renovations.” Most of the time, he said, it’s sufficient to paint over lead-based paint surfaces with newer, lead-free paint. But if there’s major renovation or paint removal needed, it’s important to be careful and use a caustic stripper or special vacuum to avoid lead dust. Otherwise, using a conventional vacuum cleaner just spreads the lead dust around, Rochlin warned.
Of course, not everybody is convinced that lead is such a serious problem. Many painters think using spacesuits and fancy vacuums to scrape off paint is extreme, and lead makers believe their product is being maligned.
Residents who are concerned about lead poisoning can phone the Environmental Protection Agency toll-free at (800) LEAD-FYI. The Alliance to End Childhood Lead Poisoning can be reached in Washington at (202) 543-1147. The Coalition to Prevent Lead Poisoning in San Francisco is at (415) 777-9648.
