When dealing with toxic lead paint, it is important to make sure that you and your family are safe from the dangerous lead particles. Two popular and proven options for dealing with lead paint in old homes are treating the paint by removing it and encapsulating, also known as covering it up.
When it comes to lead paint: Why Just Cover it When You Can Treat it!
Encapsulation
Encapsulation is a viable method for areas that are free of contaminants, cracks, and moisture. They must be applied at a specific humidity and temperature. Encapsulation cannot be used in areas of high friction, such as doors or windows.
The disadvantages are that the encapsulant may peel off and expose lead paint, leaks may damage encapsulants, and they require constant maintenance and monitoring to ensure that they are not leaking dangerous lead into the environment.
Treatment
Removing lead paint completely from the home often does take more time and money than encapsulating, but it is a much better long term solution to lead, especially if children under the age of 6 visit your home or live in your home. Lead is a dangerous neurotoxin, especially to young children.
The RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act) has specific guidelines for removing lead paint safely, and this difficult task is best left to professionals, for the health and safety of you and your family. If your home was built before 1978, have it tested for the presence of lead. The EPA provides training and certified renovator credentials to individuals and businesses who have completed their safety program. We are a lead-safe certified firm.
Removing lead paint is best left to the experts. Please contact us for more information.
Prior to being banned in the United States in 1978 by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lead paint was the most common type of paint found in government agencies, businesses, schools, public housing, and, to a large extent, private homes. Lead paint and lead-based paint additives were long favored due to rapid drying, color fastness, and durability. Unfortunately, the very element that made this possible – lead – is a highly toxic heavy metal.
Exposure to lead can cause a number of long-term health problems, particularly for children. Lead exposure in children and infants has been linked to diminished intelligence, learning disabilities, behavioral problems, and seizures. Lead can also damage major organs such as the kidneys and, in extreme cases, cause death.
Despite have been banned 38+ years ago, lead-based paint is still very prevalent in many old structures and, despite its age, still a potential killer. In fact, in many ways, lead-based paint is a larger danger now than when it was first applied. This is due to the fact that old lead-based paints tend to flake, peel and fall off as they age. This releases toxic lead dust in the air, dust which can be harmful or fatal if breathed in a high enough concentration or during prolonged exposure.
This has created a real quandary for anyone who wants to rid their home of lead-based paint. There are two primarily ways to deal with lead paint – treating the paint and removing it, or encapsulation, which involves covering the lead paint with a surface sealant to prevent flaking or the release of lead dust into the surroundings.
Each of these methods have different risks and rewards, but only removal truly solves the problem.
Visit the Environmental Protection Agency website for more information on how to make your home lead-free.
ECOBOND® LBP, LLC is the nation’s leader in developing and distributing products that improve the protection of human health and safety from the hazards of lead in the home, workplace, and the environment. With over 15 years in patented and proven success, the ECOBOND® family of products have been extensively used in successfully treating lead hazards in over 11,000,000 tons of material while serving over 100,000 customers in the United States and Internationally.
To learn more visit www.ecobondlbp.com, view lead paint treatment video or download free Industry Report:http://www.LeadPaintRemovalReport.com