Lead Paint Removal: Hiring a Contractor so You Stay Safe!
The use of lead paint was extremely common in the early twentieth century, all the way into the 1970s. While some of the dangers of lead paint in homes were known in the 1950s, it wasn’t until 1971 that the U.S. government got involved and passed the Lead Poisoning Prevention Act. Seven years after that, lead paint was banned completely for consumer use.
Today in the U.S. you won’t find lead in newly built homes. However, many homes built in and before the 1970s may still have traces of lead inside. Researchers have found a conclusive link between lead paint in homes and brain damage, as well as other diseases. Anderson Painting aims to educate its clients and community in Raleigh, North Carolina on the importance of lead paint removal services.
How to Properly Remove Lead Paint
If you think lead-based paint was used in your home, contact an EPA-certified professional contractor to evaluate your home. If they find significant lead levels, they can begin removing this harmful material from your home. Don’t try to do this yourself. In fact, it’s best to stay out of the house while the lead removal contractors do their work.
Lead removal contractors will work one room at a time, clearing or covering all furniture, rugs, or curtains and sealing all vents. This is to prevent toxic traces of lead from sticking to these surfaces. The contractors will wear protective clothing, goggles, and HEPA respirators for their own safety. To actually remove the lead paint, they may carefully wet and sand the surface while immediately vacuuming the dust for safe disposal, or they may scrape the surface by hand. The key idea is to not allow dust to spread or land on other surfaces in the room.
For large amounts of lead or particularly old and deteriorating surfaces, the best option may be to replace the walls, windows, or surfaces altogether. This is the extreme option, but it may be necessary for older homes. In any case, the contractors will then carefully clean each area by wetting and vacuuming them thoroughly.
Painting Over Lead is Not Enough
Anderson Painting contractors will repaint new surfaces and surfaces stripped of lead paint. However, simply painting over lead surfaces won’t solve the problem, only prolong it. While certain seals and paints can help prevent the harmful chemicals from leaking out, the lead will still be there. It’s best to have it removed entirely.
Before hiring Raleigh house painters, consider the possibility that your home may contain lead paint. If it was built in the early to mid-twentieth century and has had few renovations over the decades, chances are good that it might. Removing this lead paint won’t only make your home safer for you and your family, it will increase its value on the market.
The Anderson Painting company will help you understand the importance of removing lead paint and guide you through every step of the removal and repaint process. If you need trustworthy, safety-oriented Raleigh painting services, call us today at 919-610-1855 or send us an email at info@www.andersonpaintingnc.com for more information!
