Lead-based paint was in common use until it was banned for residential use in 1978. If a building went up before then, there is a good chance lead paint is still on it somewhere — often buried under newer layers.
Why it matters
Lead dust is what does the harm — created when old paint is scraped, sanded, or simply left to deteriorate. On an older building the paint can be many layers deep, and disturbing it carelessly spreads lead into the air and the soil around the building.
Intact, undisturbed lead paint is not the danger. The hazard is the dust.
Encapsulation — sealing it in place
One of the safest ways to deal with lead paint is not to remove it at all. Encapsulation seals the lead paint in place under a coating system designed to contain it — handled in a contained, careful way that keeps dust and debris from getting out. It addresses the hazard without the risk that aggressive removal can create.
If you are not sure
Plenty of owners do not know whether their building has a lead problem. If it is an older building and the paint is failing, that uncertainty is itself the reason to ask. It is the first conversation to have — before anyone starts scraping.
If your building is old enough that you are not sure, treat that as the answer to call. I would rather have the careful conversation first than meet the problem mid-scrape.
Paul Zappala
Founder, PZ Painting