Lead Paint -- City getting involved.
Our youngest child has tested for elevated lead levels (I can assume exposure scenario). Our Dr. notified the city/state. They have been aggressive about making an appointment to visit the home to check conditions. From what I understand, once the city tests and lead is found, paint encapsulation is no longer an option. Baseboards, doors…
Our youngest child has tested for elevated lead levels (I can assume exposure scenario). Our Dr. notified the city/state. They have been aggressive about making an appointment to visit the home to check conditions. From what I understand, once the city tests and lead is found, paint encapsulation is no longer an option. Baseboards, doors etc must be stripped 100% and either left raw or can be re-painted. Obviously, my concern is for the wellbeing of my child. That being said, from what I have read this may be unnecessary and far more disruptive. Question: Does anyone know what happens if we refuse to let the city inspect?
OP, I’m so glad this was able to be resolved. Thank you so much for posting this information. I was really confused and worried about the bizarre sounding requirements. Good luck with your lead abatement plan, hope it all works out.
OP good for you for standing up for the best resolution for your family.
I’ve done paint removal using alternately chemicals, steam removal, and heat methods (heat gun and silent paint remover) with water-misting of the chips and dust during the process and during cleanup. Any of them make a big mess and lead to more paint being spread around versus simply painting the wall (encapsulation).
I am the original poster here… Thanks for all your thoughts and insight, we’re all having the same conversation. Here’s the answer to the question I originally posed:
There is no penalty for denying the city permission to test for lead.
Yesterday we had our home visit by the city, the first part was the info gathering, establishing basic info on the people under the age of 18 and the “exposed” specifically. Questions like; does the child live here, has the child been outside of the country in the past year, what kind of diet, does the child play in parks etc.. After this I denied the inspection. Then we discussed why. I presented my detailed plan and information including a document from the EPA’s website stating that encapsulation was an acceptable remediation. The inspector was was kind and understanding. I shared with him my point of view which was very much along the lines of some comments above. He understood that their remedy is extreme. Their primary concern — as is mine — is the safety and welfare of the children. The majority of his cases are in rentals where a tenant would have less decision making power over what gets done in the environment…
Here’s one of the scenarios we discussed yesterday that I found particularly crazy. On a wall where a nail or screw is used, say to hold art, if there was ever lead paint on that wall, at the nail there would be trace amounts of lead. The cities remedy? Drywall over the entire wall.
Good point re: soil as source. High to dangerous lead levels are present in many, if not most, yards in Brooklyn. OP, do you have a yard with old soil that is accessible to the children? The lead test kits sold at most hardware stores can be reliable guides to danger spots within the house. If exposure is found, yes, highly recommend encapsulation or “wet” removal versus sanding or rough stripping. Actual removal of the lead, unless done very carefully and skilfully, should not be an option for reasons mentioned above (disruption of paint relegates lead to its most easily ingested forms–dust, flakes).
My sister’s daughter tested high for lead and the source was supposed to have been the exterior of the building and the soil in the yard. She lived near a fairly busy roadway and was told that lead levels remained high in the vicinity.
Lead based paint is supposed to be removed by a wet process, not sanding.
Is there anyone out there who has had kids test positive for lead exposure and has a good idea of the exact source? I’m not asking rhetorically, I’d be interested to know. From my own experience with renovation, dust, and paint, it seems like the most important thing is regular vacuuming with a really good vacuum and maybe periodic damp-mopping/dusting following. Unless there’s peeling paint and the kids are actually putting the chips in their mouth it seems like new sanding would make the situation worse even with careful precautions. I would be really upset and frustrated if I were forced into this “remedy” which seems unlikely to help and could make the conditions worse.
call me crazy, but when it comes to ensuring the safety and well being of children, nyc dept of buildings is not the first place that comes to mind. it sounds like the city/state are recommending the most thorough course of action without stopping to consider how conditions might vary from house to house. sanding down all surfaces, while definitely thorough, will also create hazardous conditions in the house by kicking up a ton more dust. removing that properly would become a major (and ongoing) concern. so why does the city insist on that when the epa and many certified lead-abatement contractors will tell you that encapsulation works as well?
Signofthetimes: Of course the safety of her child is the most important concern, however, she can take those measures herself without the city or state coming into her home.
isn’t the safety of your child the MOST important thing? who cares if you have to encapsulate, move out, whatever, to make sure that your youngest child is safe? i don’t understand the concern?