Lead Paint Exposure

What is Lead
Lead is a highly toxic metal that occurs naturally in the earth. It causes innumerable health problems when inhaled, ingested, or absorbed through the skin. The main problem with lead is that it is not biodegradable. It just shifts from one place to the other, persisting in the air, water, soil and in most homes.

Why Was Lead Used in Paints
Lead was added to paints as a pigment because of the following properties it gave to the paint.

-- Brighter, fresher appearance of the paint
-- Moisture resistant, preventing metals from corrosion and wood from deteriorating
-- Increased paint durability
-- Made the paint dry quickly

The ill-effects of lead exposure were known right from the early 1900s, but not much was done to contain it. After the increase in evidence of its toxicity and linking lead exposure to many ailments, lead was banned in paints meant for residential use in 1978.

How Does Lead Paint Exposure Occur
Most of the houses built before 1978 still contain lead based paint. When this paint begins deteriorating and flaking off, it releases lead particles in the air that settle on the ground. These particles are usually microscopic and not detectable with the naked eye. Surfaces where friction takes place will release the maximum lead. These could include windows and window sills, doors and door frames, staircases and railings.

While getting the house painted, the old paint is usually scraped off using a variety of methods. No matter what method you use, if the paint on your wall contains lead, the lead will get released into the air and cause lead paint exposure. The same holds true for exterior paint, paint on wood and metal in your home.

Who is at Maximum Risk of Lead Paint Exposure
Small children till the age of 6 are at the maximum risk and are most affected by lead paint exposure. Their bodies are growing rapidly, and when lead is ingested, it is absorbed more easily into their bodies and will cause more harm and damage than to an adult.

Small children will usually eat small flakes of paint that might peel off the walls. They also tend to play on the floor and suck their thumbs, or put their fingers in their mouth - all sure ways of ingesting lead that may have settled on the ground and onto their hands. It takes a very small amount of lead to cause serious damage to small children.

Also adults who are involved in painting the house are at risk. The risk occurs when lead containing paint is scraped off the walls, wood, or metal and gets disbursed all over the house.

What are the Ill-Effects / Diseases Caused by Lead Exposure
Lead paint exposure even in small quantities can cause the following effects in children.

-- Retarded mental development
-- Retarded physical development
-- Behavioral problems
-- Learning disorders
-- Drastically reduced attention span

Lead paint exposure causes one or more of the following symptoms in adults (some of these symptoms also occur in children).

-- Poor muscle coordination
-- Over average irritability
-- Damage to the kidneys
-- Damage to the brain
-- Damage to the nerves
-- Fetal development in pregnant women is abnormal and can also lead to fetal death if lead paint exposure is severe.

Avoiding Lead Paint Exposure
If your house was built prior to 1978 chances are the paint all around contains lead. Get samples of paint from all over the house tested for lead content by a competent authority.

If the tests are positive, you have two options. Repaint the house putting fresh coats over the old lead based one, or getting rid of the old lead based paint and repainting the entire house.

The first option is usually not advised, because the danger of lead exposure still exists; if not immediately, then in the near future.

The second option of getting rid of all the old lead containing paint is the better, but more risky option. If you decide on this option, it is better to get trained professionals who will do the job of safely removing the hazardous paint and getting the house repainted. If it is difficult to find someone specially trained in lead paint removal, you can check with a trained asbestos removal specialist.

Precautions During Lead Based Paint Removal
Whether you are removing the old paint yourself or if it is done by a professional, certain precautions must be taken / followed.

-- Remove everything from the room
-- Seal the room from the rest of the house
-- Turn off all air heating / conditioning
-- Wear only approved protective clothing, glasses, and shoes.
-- Use only HEPA certified respirators
-- Shift all children, pregnant ladies, and elderly to some other location until the entire job is complete
-- Dry scraping and dry sanding should never be done. Wet the entire surface thoroughly with water and gently scrape off the old paint.
-- Collect all the debris in sealable disposable plastic bags.
-- After the work if over use a HEPA certified vacuum to clean up the settled debris.
-- Dispose off all clothing used during the procedure in an appropriate manner.
-- Never eat, drink, or smoke in the room (preferably in the house) until the entire job is over.
-- Check for rules in your state on disposing lead based paint debris, and follow it strictly.

Doing all this yourself could be a health hazard to you and your family. Even though expensive, it is much better to have a professional take care of removing lead based paint from your entire house. They are well trained and will make sure that neither they nor you or your family members are exposed to lead paint during or after their job is over. They will also take care of proper disposal of the debris as per rules and regulations prevalent in your state.