Essential Maintenance for a Lead-Safe Home

The Problem and Solution Defined
Safe Work Principles
Routine Cleaning as an Interim Control
Lead-Based Paint Repair as an Interim Control
Repainting Lead-Painted Surfaces as an Interim Control
Repairing Friction and Impact Surfaces as an Interim Control
Interim Control Measures for Water with High Lead Levels
Interim Control Methods for Bare Soil with High Lead Levels

Homes built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint
Lead-based paint that is in poor condition or on friction and impact surfaces like doors, windows and floors, can be a lead hazard
Building improvement projects such as repainting and remodeling can also create lead hazards

Give your family the gift of a healthy home

The Problem...

If you have home that was built before 1978, you want to be sure that your home stays lead-safe by preventing lead hazards from developing. Lead-based pain in poor condition or on friction or impact surfaces can create hazardous lead dust and pain chips. Check surfaces painted with lead-based pain regularly to be sure the paint isn't becoming worn, chipped, flaking or peeling.

...and the Solution

Keep the lead-based paint in your home in good condition, and prevent surfaces that have lead-based paint from rubbing or impact. An "Essential Maintenance Plan" (EMP) is a way of keeping track of all surfaces that have lead-based paint and checking them regularly. You can make your own EMP by doing two things: first, make a list of all lead-painted surfaces in your home, and second, perform "interim controls" on these surfaces.

Step 1. Write down the surfaces that you know or suspect have lead-based pain on them.

It's usually easier if you do this by room. For example:

Living Room

west windows
baseboards

Family Room

painted floor
trim around ceiling

Kitchen

baseboards

Katie's bedroom

closet walls

Step 2. Use interim controls to temporarily prevent lead dust getting into your home environment.

Interim controls are actions that you take to prevent or eliminate lead dust and chips from your home environment. These are actions such as routine cleaning , lead-based paint repair, repainting non-friction or impact surfaces, repairing friction and impact surfaces, using bottled water, and covering bare soil.

Safe Work Principles

When doing interim controls, there are some basic safe work principles you should always follow when working around lead-based paint.

Create as little dust as possible. Avoid using power tools, particularly sanders.
It the work releases any dust, keep it damp. Mist work surfaces as you hand sand or scrape.
If it's not possible to keep the work surfaces damp (e.g. removing window components before scraping), use a 1/2-face respirator with filter cartridges that will filter out lead (these filters are magenta).
Keep the dust contained. Keep doors and windows closed. Work over a plastic drop cloth. Always remember to remove your work shoes before stepping off the drop cloth!
Clean up each room or area as you work.
Only use a vacuum if it has a HEPA filter. Regular vacuum cleaners spread fine lead dust particles throughout a room.
Keep all children and pets out of the work area.
Never smoke or drink while working.
Wash work clothes separately from other laundry.
Clean yourself thoroughly before hugging your family!

What Not to Do...

Many traditional methods of preparing a painted surface for repainting, refinishing, or re staining can poison both children and adults if the paint is lead-based.

Never use any of these methods to remove lead-based paint:

X Open flame buring or torching.

X Machine sanding or grinding without a HEPA vacuum exhaust tool.

X Uncontained hydroblasting or high-pressure washing.

X Abrasive blasting or sandblasting without a HEPA vacuum exhaust tool.

X Use of dry scrapers, belt-sanders, propane torches, or heat guns that operate above 1100°F.

Routine Cleaning as an Interim Control

Lead dust is very fine and may not be visible to the eye. Where you can see paint chips, there's probably lead dust. Even if you do not see paint chips, there's still may be lead dust present.

Lead dust may be present on surfaces and cracks throughout your home. Windows, worn floors, carpets and upholstered furnishing seem to collect most of the lead dust.

Lead dust tends to stick to surfaces. It cannot be easily brushed off - it must be rubbed off. If rags, mop heads and rinse water are not changed often the dust will just be smeared around rather than removed. Here are some of the recommended guidelines on when and how to clean, and what not to do when cleaning your home.

Schedule for Cleaning

Room that contain leaded components (e.g. floors, windows, doors, walls, baseboards) need to be cleaned at least once every week in order to reduce or prevent exposure to dust that potentially may contain lead.

Cleaning Carpets and Rugs

Do Use

"Wet scrubbing" methods to remove stains
Steam cleaning
Standard vacuum cleaners if no visible dust or debris from chipping or flaking paint is present

Don't Use

"Shaking" or "beating" of carpets and rugs
Dry sweeping of surface dust and debris

Cleaning Uncarpeted Floors

Do Use

Damp or wet mopping
Standard "sponge" or "string" type mops and an all purpose cleaner
Standard vacuum cleaners if no visible dust or debris from chipping or flaking paint is present

Don't Use

Mops with "Scrubber" strip attached
Powered buffing or polishing machines
Vacuums with "beater bars"
Dry Sweeping of surface dust and debris

Cleaning Walls

Do Use

Soft clothes to wet wipe walls
All purpose cleaner

Don't Use

Steel wool, souring pads and abrasive cleaners
Solvent cleaners

Other Painted Surfaces (e.g. doors, windows baseboards)

Do Use

Soft clothes

Don't Use

Scouring pads, and abrasive cleaners
Solvent cleaners
Excessive rubbing to remove spots

Dusting

Do Use

Disposable, non-abrasive dusting cloths or "dusters"

Remember to thoroughly clean your shoes or boots when you're done working and to wash your work clothes separately so you don't get lead dust on your children's clothes.

Lead-Based Paint Repair as Interim Control

If you see small areas of flaking, chipping or peeling paint when doing your regular EMP checks of lead-painted surfaces in your home, follow these steps to perform a lead-safe repair:

Remove all rugs, drapes, curtains, etc., near the work area. Move any furniture and other objects away from the work area. Clean these items before returning them at the conclusion of the work.
Place a plastic sheeting extending five feet in all directions underneath the work area and secure it to the baseboard.
If you have a forced air system, turn it off.
Close the door to the room and keep the windows closed.
Lightly mist the area and gently scrape off the loose paint.
Lightly sand the area with a wet sponge before repainting.
After completing the repainting, lightly mist then roll up the plastic sheeting, and clean all surfaces within five feet of the work area.

Remember to take your shoes off whenever stepping of the plastic sheeting

Repainting Lead-Painted Surfaces as an Interim Control

You can use repainting as an interim control on lead-painted surfaces that have begun to deteriorate due to the age of the paint or to problems such as structural defects or water damage. It is a good choice for walls and ceiling because they are not constantly bumped or rubbed. Repainting a surface with a lead-free paint will help to lessen lead hazards by reducing the amount of lead dust and paint chips that get into the environment.

To repaint a surface that has lead-based paint on it, take the following steps:

Make sure to fix or eliminate whatever condition is causing the paint to deteriorate. This can include repairing water leaks, defective plaster, and damaged structural parts.
use a high-quality paint recommended by a manufacturer for the type of surface you are painting.
Read and follow the manufacturer's instructions for applying paint.

Repairing Friction and Impact Surfaces as an Interim Control

Friction surfaces are surfaces that are subject to abrasion, that is, rubbing or friction actions that cause wear on a surface.

Common examples of friction surfaces are:

the parts of a window that rub when opened and closed,
tight-fitting doors, cabinet doors and drawers,
stairs, and
floor

When covered with lead-based paint, friction surfaces can create invisible lead dust. You can reduce the amount t of lead dust created by friction surfaces by fixing the areas that rub together, e.g. planing door surfaces so they don't rub together, inserting channel guides into window frames, and carpeting stairs and floors.

Impact surfaces are surfaces that stick out and tend to be bumped or hanged. The most common impacts surfaces are:

doors and doorjambs
door trim
door steps
baseboards
chair rails and
stair risers

Repeated impacts can create lead dust and cause small chips of paint to fall to the floor. You can reduce impact surface problems by placing barriers in front of the surfaces.

How to Repair a Friction or Impact Surface

Repairing windows, doors and stairs will help to reduce lead hazards form lead-painted friction and impact surfaces in your home. Follow these steps to minimize creating lead dust from your normal use of windows, doors and stairs.

Windows

Remove all rugs, drapes, curtains, etc., near the work area. Move any furniture and other objects away from the work area. Clean these items before returning them at the conclusion of the work.
Place plastic sheeting extending five feet in all directions underneath the work area and secure it to the baseboard.
If you have a forced air system, turn it off.
Remove the window stop and window sash. Wet scrape the deteriorated paint left on the sash and jamb. Replace the stop with a new stop or wet scrape off the lead-based paint.
Clean out the window well. Cut a piece of aluminum flashing also referred to as "coil stock" and caulk in place. It is advisable to drill two holes in the storm window, flush with the sill, to let water drain. Reinstall the window.
After completing this work, lightly mist then roll up the plastic sheeting, and clean alls surfaces within five feet of the work area.

Remember to take your shoes off whenever stepping of the plastic sheeting

Doors

Remove all rugs, drapes, curtains, etc., near the work area. Move any furniture and other objects away from the work area. Clean these items before returning them at the conclusion of the work.
Place plastic sheeting extending five feet in all directions underneath the work area and secure it to the baseboard.
If you have a forced air system, turn it off.
Check to see if the door is hung properly. Loose hinges can cause the door to rub against the jamb. If a screw can't be tightened, remove it, put a dowel in the screw hole and cut it flush with the hinge. Use a longer screw to refasten the door. If the door is still rubbing, try installing shims under the hinge. If it still rubs, remove the door, mist the door edges with water, and plane the door to eliminate the areas that are rubbing against the jamb. Reinstall the door.
After completing this work, lightly mist then roll up the plastic sheeting, and clean all surfaces within five feet of the work area.

Remember to take your shoes off whenever stepping of the plastic sheeting

Stairs

Remove all rugs, drapes, curtains, etc., near the work area. Move any furniture and other objects away from the work area. Clean these items before returning them at the conclusion of the work.

Place plastic sheeting extending five feet in all directions underneath the work area and secure it to the baseboard.

Install a hard, cleanable covering, such as a rubber tread guard. Wet scrape or wet sand and repaint any railings that may have deteriorated lead-based paint.
After making the repair, clean all surfaces within five feet of the work area.

Interim Control Methods for Water with High Lead Levels

Interim control methods for reducing exposure to lead in water include:

Using bottled water,
Running the water until it gets noticeably colder (at least one minute whenever the faucet has gone unused for greater than 6 hours);
Installing and maintain a pint-of-use-filtration system capable of removing lead

If you are considering using a filtration system, please contact the Department of Human Services Drinking Water Program at 287-5694 for guidance on getting an appropriate filter.

Interim Control Methods for Bare Soil with High Lead Levels

Children and pets love to play in bare soil. If the soil has high levels of lead in it, children and pets can bring lead dust into the home and can ingest lead during play. Bare soil right next to pre-1978 houses often contains high lead levels due to past repainting activities. Interim control methods for bare soil with high lead levels include:

Placing doormats outside and inside of all entry ways into your home;
Covering bare soil with a minimum of 6 inches of cover soil, mulch or gravel'
Planting grass on bare soil'
Restricting access to areas of accessible bare soil; for example, planting dense evergreen shrubs or putting up fencing.

When you do essential maintenance on lead-based paint, you give your family the gift of a healthy home.

If you need information on lead-safe work practices for renovation and remodeling, or would like a listing of lead inspectors or lead abatement contractors, please call:

DEP Lead Licensing & Enforcement Program 1-800-452-1942 or (207) 287-2651

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has published a detailed, illustrated how-to guide called:

Lead Paint Safety: A Field Guild for Painting, Home Maintenance and Renovation Work

This handbook can be downloaded at www.hud.gov/lea/leahome.html

You can also call the Lead Hotline at

1-800-424-LEAD to request this and other lead poisoning prevention information

This brochure was printed with funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, grant #X99128001, USEPA Project Officer James. M. Bryson