What can I do about possible lead paint on my living room floor?
We had to pull up some carpet in our 80 YO house. We completed several rooms without incident, and had very few issues (mainly cosmetic). We got to the final room today, which is a high traffic family room. The carpet was damaged in several places, so as we had in the other rooms, we started at the edges and worked our way into the center. All looked well until we hit the very middle- there is an 8 by 10 spot of painted floor.
Under normal circumstances, I might not be alarmed, but since the house is older, I am very concerned that the paint might contain lead. We have a small child and pets, so the concern is compounded. We have been so careful, and I am absolutely heartsick that we may have put our child in any sort of danger.
It is Sunday, and I need a game plan. Can anyone give me some short term (and long term) suggestions? Money is really tight, so the more we can do ourselves, the better, but I will find the money if we need to do something to make it safe for our family.
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Tags: Circumstances, Game Plan, Money
By Shayla M, September 5, 2010 @ 8:51 am
tell you kids to eat it.
By connorsmom916, September 7, 2010 @ 12:19 am
For some help understand we have to worry at all good luck.
By desertdiva, September 9, 2010 @ 9:01 am
They stopped making lead based paint in 1978. it is not harmful unless a person eats it. One paint chip will not hurt you, but several can. See, lead has a sweet taste to it…hence kids eat a ton of it.
I would not worry about it. But I would advise you to paint over it with another paint. Even if it is a small spot.
If you have the same drywall as 80 years ago you have LBP, but with all the coats added to it it would be hard to get at it.
Don’t sand it, the dust can be harmful.
By oil field trash, September 12, 2010 @ 11:51 am
For the short term, cover it with a rug or a coat of paint. Undisturbed lead paint is not a real problem unless someone chews on it and ingests the flakes.
For the long term get it tested to see if is does have lead. If so, you will probably need to have it removed by a certified contractor or cover it in a more permanent manner.
By Tigger, September 13, 2010 @ 4:20 pm
You could try putting a few paint chips in a plastic bag and sending them to a lab to test for lead. Until you know what it is, keep a good thick area rug on it because paint on the floor will get scuffed and kicked around.
If it is lead, don’t disturb it until you can have a professional remover come in. Good luck!
By Amie, September 16, 2010 @ 11:06 pm
The proper procedure is to wet it (you don’t want it to be in the air) and scrape it (wear a mask of course). Place it in a double plastic bag and throw it away. Do not cover it because it will just become a problem for you or someone else in the future. You might want to send the kids to the neighbor’s while you are doing this.
By David in Kenai, September 20, 2010 @ 4:03 am
Your child is not at necessarily at risk even if it is lead-based paint (LBP). Only if there is paint dust that they have ingested.
A very few children eat paint chips. They are either exceedingly hungry or bored, have a psych issue and/or have come to like the slightly sweet taste.
Impact surfaces (door and window frames and double-hung window casements) are the big sources of LBP dust. Less so with floors. Wet mop up any dust, don’t sweep/disturb it while dry.
Get a LBP test kit from a better paint store, about $15 for four tests. If it comes back positive, re-post with more specifics. But if you re-carpet, the exposure pathway goes away. Or cover with linoleum, Pergo, etc.
1-2 year olds are at greatest risk. Brains are developing quickly from 0 to 5 and that is what is disrupted by lead exposure. 2 and they walk mostly. But 1-2 they are on the floor and everything goes hand-to-mouth. Keeping the floor dusted can reduce exposure (and blood lead levels) by 10 fold.
Lead exposure doesn’t effect only poor children, but they are at greater risk due to typically less dusting and housekeeping being performed and the possibly lack of calcium in their diets which increases the uptake of any lead they ingest.
Paint used before 1950 can have high lead levels, especially in kitchens, bathrooms, doors, windows and trim. Paint from 1950 to 1978 can also have lead, but typically at lower levels.
-David
By piscetaurus, September 22, 2010 @ 7:17 am
use stain remover