LEAD ABATEMENT

Lead based paints were once commonplace before a general awareness of the toxicity of lead and while a lot of people get understandably confused about lead abatement procedures rather than RRP (renovation, repair, and painting) the key difference between true abatement and RRP is that RRP is aesthetic and purely for appearance while taking steps to contain any disturbance to lead paint. Abatement on the other hand involves removing that paint permanently and making the property safe. We are specialists in lead abatement and confirm firmly to the EPA guidelines for abatement contractors.

Enclosure

Of the different techniques for rendering lead paint safe this is one of the most straightforward since it involves the least risk of disturbing the lead paint. Lead paint is at its most dangerous when it makes contact with the skin or is absorbed into the body as dust. While lead, being a heavy metal, doesn’t form dust as easily as less dense materials lead particles are still released when lead paint is dusturbed. Enclosure means sealing off surfaces that had lead paint so that they are not disturbed but are no longer able to be touched. Unfortunately enclosure is only an option for certain surfaces.

Replacement

Where we detect lead paint on replaceable areas such as doors, or cabinets we usually recommend removing and replacing them altogether as the safest way to deal with the lead content of their paint covering. We take care of removing and safely disposing of the lead contaminated items for you.

Encapsulation

In some cases the best option is not to disturb the lead based paint, but instead to seal it and make it safe with a coating of specially chosen sealant. Encapsulation is one of the cheapest options but we don’t recommend it in all cases - for example any surfaces that are likely to suffer wear and tear should definitely be selected for full lead paint removal rather than encapsulation as the sealant itself can be worn away to expose the lead.

Paint Removal

While the other alternatives mentioned above can suit many cases a lot of our clients opt for full lead paint removal as the best way to get peace of mind, especially in homes where small children and animals may come into contact with the contaminated surfaces. Just scraping away lead paint is a terrible idea as it releases the lead particles into the air and increases the chances of lead poisoning so as qualified lead abatement contractors we have a more sophisticated approach. For this we first seal off the area including covering and taping off all vents and HVAC openings, plus any entrances and exits and of course our lead abatement specialists wear full protective clothing. Then as we work we use specialist HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) vacuum devices which are not to be confused with normal vacuums equipped with HEPA filters. We also use continuous spray and flow devices to wash loose lead based paint into our collecting traps so that we catch and remove all of the lead paint.