Jacksonville Painters | Jacksonville House Painters
If your home was built before 1978, it is very likely that it contains lead paint. Lead paint is tricky. Lead particles stay "contained" in the walls, especially if the old paint has been painted over and the surface isn't peeling. But every time a wall surface starts to peel, or is damaged in some other way, flakes of lead paint can be released into your home. These can remain in tiny shards of paint, which can be ingested or embedded in the skin. Even tinier particles can be inhaled when they become airborne, circulating throughout the home through your air conditioning.
The hazards of lead paint are more dangerous for children, who can have neurological impairment as they grow. The damages are less perceptible on adults, but can include reproductive and circulatory problems. In short, you just don't want lead paint in your house. Removing lead paint is a big job for a DIYer, and it can also be performed by professionals. A New Leaf is always ready to do this work or provide consultation on the job. Whoever performs the removal, here are some steps that must be completed in order to do this paint job safely.
- Make the Area Safe. If you are working in a single room, you've got to remove everything. If there are items too large for removal, these must be covered in one-mil poly, a large roll of plastic used to cover and protect surfaces. In fact, you'll want to cover everything with poly, including the floors, other walls, windows, crannies, and doorways. This way, the lead that you are releasing during the removal will be contained in the plastic, not working its way into other surfaces. Wear a quality respirator to keep lead and paint dust out of your lungs.
- Wet-scrape the Paint. Using a utility knife and scraper, loosen and scrape away the paint, working in small 2x2 foot areas. Use a squirt bottle to moisten each area so that dust is reduced. Put paint chips and dust into a trash bag, sealing at the end of the job before removing the rest of the plastic in the room. You may also use a paint stripper to get hard-to-scrape paint off the walls. Sand paper can also help. Patch and seal any broken areas or open seams.
- Clean Up. Remove your clothes and put them in another trash bag for washing. Thoroughly clean all particles and put them in the other trash bag, seal it, and have it ready for disposal. Then remove all plastic sheeting, folding it inward to keep dust from flying off its surfaces into the air. Lead paint removal involves a trip to a construction landfill for disposal - municipal dumps won't accept lead paint.
Like I said, a DIYer can handle this job. But if this sounds like a lot, let A New Leaf handle the project for you. We can easily remove and dispose of your lead paint, safely and completely. We can also handle interior paint work and repair in addition to lead paint removal. A New Leaf is more than a team of paint contractors. If you live in the Jacksonville, FL area, give us a call about lead paint removal, or any other household upgrades or repairs you are thinking about undertaking.