When lead paint lurks, take precautions

A recent column on exterior painting drew a couple of comments about the importance of recognizing and protecting against lead-paint contamination. The home we were writing about was not originally painted with lead-based paints, so special precautions did not apply.

We suggested that sanding paint defects to a feathered edge and water blasting were preferred methods of surface preparation. That's absolutely true if lead-based paint is not present. But if you suspect you're dealing with lead-based paint, extra precaution must be taken to avoid spreading the contaminant.

Use of lead-based paint was outlawed in California in 1978. Homes built before then, likely as not, contain some lead-based paint in primers, fillers and top coats. White lead was a common ingredient in paint before it was banned in 1978.

Lead is a highly toxic metal that can cause a range of health problems, including behavioral disorders, learning disabilities, seizures and even death. Lead poisoning occurs by inhaling lead fumes or ingesting lead dust particles. Young children are particularly at risk because they absorb more lead than adults, and their brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to its damaging effects.

(Note that the following information applies only to cities in the San Francisco Bay Area. While it's advice worth looking into, we recommend that you check with your local authorities before beginning a job involving lead paint removal.)

Frank Zip, a San Francisco painting contractor, pointed out some of the pitfalls of prepping an older home for paint. He writes:

"A house built in the late '60s or early '70s is very likely to have lead primers or paint. It was common in patching materials as well. So if you have a lot of peeling paint, you may want to wet scrape first. Water blasting/power washing can blow the chips all over your yard, the neighbors' yard, and down the storm drain. San Francisco no longer allows this practice unless well contained with netting and runoff collection."

Section 3407 of the San Francisco Building Code regulates work that removes or disturbs lead-based paint on pre-1979 buildings ("lead work"). When the code section was enacted in 1998, it covered only lead work on exterior surfaces, but, in 2004, it was amended to also include work on interior surfaces in most residential dwellings, including apartment buildings and single-family homes. (Exception: Lead work on interior surfaces in an owner-occupied unit is exempt as long as paint chips or dust do not migrate outside the dwelling unit.)

Under the title of "Removing Lead Paint Legally," the San Francisco Apartment Association published the following steps a homeowner should take when undertaking an exterior painting project where lead paint is suspected.

1. Restrict access: Unless the affected area is the only means of access or egress, restrict third-party access to the affected area. If access must be allowed, dust generation and migration must be controlled, using containment and barrier systems. It usually can be accomplished by using plastic tarps to wall off the work area and to catch debris. ...CONTINUED

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