Yes. Especially if you're doing a "knock down".

There are certified abatement contractors in most areas. You can also contact the EPA for a local directory of certified abatement contractors.

Creating lead dust during a knock down is dangerous to you and your surrounding neighbors. Be careful and be prepared.

Michael

Here is a link that might be useful: pubs

funny, but everyone i know grew up in houses with lead paint, and none of them are sick. i work with lead on a daily basis, and have seen no ill consequences.

wear a respirator, always a good idea in dusty places. you will be fine.

local codes may REQUIRE you have specialists in to remove it, but if not then i would just tear it down.

I suppose all those children are pretending to be ill.

Do you protect yourself when working with lead or do you eat lunch w/o washing your hands? Do you create lead dust, then breathe it?

It's silly to question the harmful effects of lead. Almost 10,000 small children are receiving treatment for lead poisoning in the U.S. Most have an IQ of 70 or less.

And smoking doesn't cause cancer, does it?

Michael

Here is a link that might be useful: get some education

Regardless of how well you protect yourself, if you're releasing lead dust during a renovation, it's likely to contaminate the house and get ingested or breathed in later unless you have a professional cleanup done. If you have kids, you should know that they are more susceptible to lead poisoning than adults because their developing bodies absorb and retain it more than adults. I may have lost all the IQ points I'm going to from lead exposures, but that didn't mean I ignored the potential for my children to be exposed when I did remodeling projects.

i am not saying that lead is not harmful. LIMITED exposure to lead offers no real danger. YES, long term exposure can cause problems, but the short term exposure of a remodel, especially if you wear a respirator, will have very little chance of any issues. and a complete gut of the house would leave so little lead residue behind, that even long term exposure after the reno was complete would not be an issue.

thank you great state of scared-ifornia.

"...10,000 small children are receiving treatment for lead poisoning"

Out of what population?

Out of what population?

Does it matter if it's your child or grandchild?

Or, as long as it's not your child or grandchild is all that matters to you?

You're more intelligent than that, and more compassionate, I hope.

Michael

LIMITED exposure to lead offers no real danger.

True. However, if you were to tear out two rooms and create lead dust that infiltrates the house, the heating ducts, etc., that will cause prolonged exposure.

Do you err on the safe side or the careless side?

Michael

Look here for a short synopsis of the problem.http://www.epa.gov/lead/

Lead in paint is only a problem when ingested or inhaled. A child has to actually eat chips of the paint or breath dust caused by sanding/scraping.

Lead paint abatement regulations require removing the paint up to a certain height above the floor---since children have limited reach and access normally.

Many localities allow for DIY removal as long as that removal encapsulates the paint and does not allow dust or chip contamination. Many strippers do that when used properly.

Other localities require professional removal. A homeowner needs to find out what requirements are in effect in his city/county.

... is dangerous to you and your surrounding neighbors.

Your surrounding neighbors?!? How much dust are you producing that it would affect anything outside the house?

"Out of what population?"

Sure as hell does matter.
We do not have inifinite resources to spend on problems.

I'll jump in on this one - since it is near to me and my family..

We had a mjr flood Oct 05 due to malfunction of auto feeder valve to steam heating system

The "professionals" came in to first dry us out then to do demolition to our home where needed - despite my pleas and concerns - They removed the largest ceiling in our home 12'x23' in Liv room - trapsed through the house out to the dumpster with the plaster - Oh, they did have a 2-3mil tarp across LR access -
All the while the insurance co was aware they would be moving us to to do renovations - Dh & I have 7 children between us ages 24yrs - 3yrs old (2 at the time) - I totally hit the fan one day - when they wanted to remove dinning room ceiling as well as pull up a carpet w/6x6 asbestos looking tile. I sent the entire crew out of my home and was in tears

I called Insurance co as well as environmental testing co

Fast forward Yes there was LEAD everywhere!!!!! DUH the house was built in 1930 - It was not until I hit the fan & continued to that our exposure was minimized - But I had to pull the "well right now you have a property claim, You could possibly have a life or several life claims!" out of my hat.
Men in white suits came - we left

Stupidity that is what it is - as well as Insurance co being far more concerned with possible mold exposure ...

The fact is, yes we were all exposed to many products that had lead - thankfully we have protections from many of those products. however there are still plenty of children and people who suffer from lead exposure - they are in our schools and society and are innocent victims - as well as burdening our resources - Lead poisening is Very real -

There is NO SAFE level of lead - there are only guidelines that have been established because honestly they have no idea if there is a "safe" level..

Since lead is a heavy element is falls rather rapidly and adheres to surfaces below - A little precaution and proper clean up is all that is necessary to mitigate exposure
TSP is the reccomended product (i believe it may be in Spic n Span ) it's cheap and readily available - contain the dust, wipe surfaces w/TSP which is a great pre paint cleaner anyway, and limit walking through those areas onto others

Here is a link that might be useful: Lead paint facts