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Roger's Home Journal

Roger's Home Journal

Know Which Way the Wind Blows

By Roger Faris

Jun 20, 2002 -- This is the season when a plethora of conscientious homeowners get serious about the maintenance chore of exterior painting. The drone of pressure washers can be heard in every neighborhood as dirt is blasted from siding board and soffit. Furious scraping of loose paint, like fingernails on a blackboard, is getting the attention of people and pets.

Those chips of paint can be caught on a drop cloth, or can be swept up or vacuumed, but the fine dust from power sanders is another matter. This stuff gets airborne, and can be a serious health hazard for anyone nearby or downwind. The problem is that old layers of paint usually contain a significant amount of lead, which has powerfully toxic effects, especially on children.

The Environmental Protection Agency has gathered a great deal of information about the danger of lead exposure. In looking through the EPA Web site I learned that our bodies can't distinguish the difference between lead and calcium, and so we absorb it into our bones, where it can collect for a lifetime. Even at low levels lead can cause the following effects in children: nervous system and kidney damage; learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, and decreased intelligence; speech, language, and behavior problems; poor muscle coordination; decreased muscle and bone growth; and hearing damage.

The current estimate is that in the U.S. over 900,000 children ages 1 to 5 have lead in their bodies exceeding the level of concern. The most common source is lead in dust form. Little kids get it on their hands and toys, and these objects find their way into their mouths. By the way, it's very bad for pets and grownups, too.

One easy answer, of course, is for people to stop using sanders on old painted surfaces that contain lead. Using scrapers, brushing primer on the bare spots, and then applying an overcoat of acrylic house paint will provide the needed protection and a reasonably good appearance. In the rare cases where all of the paint must be removed, chemical strippers are a good option. There are also special sanders and paint removing tools that capture most of the dust with the help of a vacuum attachment. Unfortunately, some dangerous material still seems to escape and drift downwind. Even a little lead dust is too much.

Some property owners may not be adequately motivated by the desire to do the right thing. They may need to be made aware of the potential for extremely expensive legal action. There's plenty of precedent for successful litigation. No monetary compensation, though, can reverse nervous system and brain damage.

I have a skepticism about power sanding that's probably related to a high tolerance, or even appreciation for imperfection. My personal mantra while preparing the house for paint: "It's not a yacht, it's not a yacht, it's not a yacht..." and I can't imagine why the surfaces would need to be perfectly smooth. From out at the sidewalk my paint job looks fine. In our climate the paint doesn't last very long anyway, and I don't want to feel more than a tiny annoyance when a blister or two appear. I'll save my worrying for bigger things.

Despite our best efforts to educate our neighbors and put a stop to the bad practice of sanding old houses, we can be sure that it will still be happening all over town. So will I be vigilant for the rest of the summer, or just get out of town? It's surely tempting to hike deep into the woods, or sail far offshore, where a breath of air can be truly fresh.

Roger Faris is the director of the Phinney Neighborhood Association Well Home Program and Project Impact Earthquake Retrofit Program (and a Research Associate with the Save The World Institute). He can be reached at (206) 789-4993.


Reader Comments

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Jon C. Potter May 06, 2003 Nashville, TN Retired
   I have to agree with you.Lead paint is very danferous to every living being. Just check with the EPA. I'd like to share a totally contrary to lead paint policy of EPA a VA appraiser. The appraiser told me and put it in writing to scrape all paint on a home built prior to 1978. The home was built in 1977 to be exact. Now, that just beat all, as it was against all VA policy on lead based paint.This is an example proving big brother does not know best.Had he told me to cover any paint with two coats of paint, I could understand.Funny, as the houde has never had lead based paint on it, only linseed oil stain and olympic oil based stain. No lead here Mr. Government Official.I turned this jerk into the VA, which did nothing to him.
David Dornbush Oct 22, 2003 Prior Lake MN USA CEO
   We have a 1965 Home and my wife has been out front sanding the boards on a white fence. We believe that this has original paint from 1965. What are the chances this was a lead based paint?

 

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