Author Topic: Should I buy a lead paint test kit?  (Read 7846 times)

fiveoh

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Should I buy a lead paint test kit?
« on: March 01, 2013, 06:25:40 PM »
We have some iron patio furniture that we got from my wifes great aunt.  She had it for a "long" time, whatever that means(she passed shortly after we got it).  The paint has started to chip and rust in a few areas so I started sanding it down today to repaint it.... after about 30 mins I was covered in paint "dust".  I then started thinking about how this stuff might be old enough to have lead paint and I was inhaling some of this(using a cheap mask to block some but not one of those nice tight ones).  Anyway long story short, should I buy one of those 3m lead paint test kits from lowes?  They are $25 and I feel like im wasting that money but on the flip side I dont want to keep breathing in lead dust(if it is) or bring it in the house.  I'm not surehow bad a little lead dust would be if it is...  Am I worrying about nothing here or should I buy the kit? 

c

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Re: Should I buy a lead paint test kit?
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2013, 07:16:03 PM »
What would you do differently if you knew for a fact the paint was lead? I sanded down a radiator before it even occurred to me that it might (more likely than not) have at least one layer of lead paint. Not that that's an excuse. The other I wiped down with a damp cloth and re-painted, but I don't have kids and I try not to lick the radiators too frequently.

If you have more to do, I'd treat it as if it did have lead based paint and Google how to strip it. It seems like as long as you leave it alone it's ok. ApartmentTherapy had a post about a class you can take to be an EPA certified lead inspector/renovator that one of their writers took before her renovation project, you could look in to that too.
« Last Edit: March 01, 2013, 07:18:50 PM by c »

fiveoh

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Re: Should I buy a lead paint test kit?
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2013, 07:33:34 PM »
What would you do differently if you knew for a fact the paint was lead? I sanded down a radiator before it even occurred to me that it might (more likely than not) have at least one layer of lead paint. Not that that's an excuse. The other I wiped down with a damp cloth and re-painted, but I don't have kids and I try not to lick the radiators too frequently.

If you have more to do, I'd treat it as if it did have lead based paint and Google how to strip it. It seems like as long as you leave it alone it's ok. ApartmentTherapy had a post about a class you can take to be an EPA certified lead inspector/renovator that one of their writers took before her renovation project, you could look in to that too.

If it is lead I would probably use some sort of liquid paint stripper/remover instead of sanding.  I'm not sure if thats any safer since there will be lead in the fumes....

c

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Re: Should I buy a lead paint test kit?
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2013, 09:10:36 PM »
I'm so far from an expert about lead remediation. It's something I'm aware of, especially since I'm doing a semi-DIY "period" renovation. It's something I bear in mind when deciding what to go with, for example I decided against an antique cast iron tub and sink from a restoration place and I've replaced a few things in my apartment, but I didn't freak out about the radiator refinishing.  If I had a different life, e.g. children or the chance of having them, I'd make different decisions. From everything I've researched it's a complicated issue. If it's something you're worried about, $25 is nothing, as is getting rid of the furniture.

Jack

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Re: Should I buy a lead paint test kit?
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2013, 09:52:49 PM »
If I were in your situation I'd just assume it had lead-based paint, spend the $25 on a respirator instead of a test kit (since a respirator will be useful again in the future), read up on lead-safe remediation protocols on the Internet, and completely paint the furniture before bringing it inside the house (once you paint it, the lead will be encapsulated and safe for a long time... I think).

Blindsquirrel

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Re: Should I buy a lead paint test kit?
« Reply #5 on: March 02, 2013, 10:49:33 AM »
  I vote for respirator also.


fiveoh

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Re: Should I buy a lead paint test kit?
« Reply #6 on: March 02, 2013, 10:52:03 AM »
I found a 2pack of lead test for $7 instead of the 8 pack for $25.  I bought that AND a respirator.  Tested negative for lead thankfully.  I still don't want to breath in the paint dust so the respirator will help with that.  Thanks for the replies.