How Experts Remove Lead Paint | This Old House

Richard Trethewey and Lead Abatement expert Ron Peik prepare to demo plaster walls.
#ThisOldHouse #AskTOH
SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: bit.ly/Subscrib...
Ron explains to Richard the extraordinary lengths his workers go to protect the environment and themselves from the lead: Sealing the area, wearing the proper gear, creating negative air pressure with a HEPA filter unit, careful demolition and removal.
About This Old House TV:
This Old House is the No. 1 multimedia home enthusiast brand, offering trusted information and expert advice through award-winning television, a highly regarded magazine, and an information-driven website. This Old House and Ask This Old House are produced by This Old House Ventures, LLC and are presented on PBS by WNET Washington.
Follow This Old House and Ask This Old House:
Facebook: bit.ly/ThisOldH...
Twitter: bit.ly/ThisOldH...
bit.ly/AskTOHTw...
Pinterest: bit.ly/ThisOldH...
Instagram: bit.ly/ThisOldH...
Tumblr: bit.ly/ThisOldH...
Keywords:
This Old House, Ask This Old House, DIY, Home Improvement, DIY Ideas, Renovation, Renovation Ideas, How To Fix, How To Install, How To Build
Watch the full episode:
bit.ly/2ZIKKhz
How Experts Remove Lead Paint | This Old House
/ thisoldhouse

[@AndrewJJ-0114]

The cameraman is thinking: "Gee, I sure wish I had one of those suits..."

[@jacquesforcier267]

Hahaha

[@cm01]

Don't eat it and you're fine. A dust mask and goggles for good measure would've sufficed. I wouldn't blame someone for going for the full face shield respirator but the hazmat suit is just kind of silly.

[@moniqueperreault2720]

Caleb M not when it comes to lead poisoning...why do you think they are legally required to go to the extent that they did? It’s not something to take lightly.

[@macaroniandtuna]

@@cm01 They're doing that work every day it sounds like. Maximum protection is absolutely prudent for daily exposure.

[@leonpse]

@@cm01 The lead dust get in the clothes and needs to be thrown away. The suit is probably less $10.

[@Curious0189]

Pretty funny to see the contractor's face when Richard asked him if the debris needed to be disposed at a special site for Lead based material. Not sure if the contractor was going out on a limb claiming it was considered standard construction debris when removed in a residential setting. Nonetheless, it would be interesting to find out more regarding the proper disposal of lead based debris. I imagine it changes from state to state which makes it hard to gain a clear cut answer for the general public.

[@TribePirate]

It’s considered standard waste on the federal level because they want to make it easier to get it out of your home. They would rather have it in landfills, which are tightly regulated and not occupied, than in so many houses.

[@josephmayer8880]

You just take it to the dump lol

[@Stu_Pedazzo]

If there’s no special disposal, then why would these companies charge so much more? Oh, wait. Never mind!

[@J_Money1]

@@Stu_Pedazzo I always assumed it was more on the interior because you gotta spend time sealing up the house from dust but on the exterior it’s the same. Interesting indeed

[@quaddamage87]

Can anyone tell me why there is so much content about lead paint hazards in the US, and there is close to nothing about it in Europe, and in my case The Netherlands. Over here, you don't read, hear or see anything about lead paint. People here don't even know about it! It's only because of videos like this that I tested the paint in my own house (from the 50s), and it tested positive for lead! The local environmental agency in the Netherlands only tells you: keep children away while sanding/renovating and wipe off any dust with a wet towel after you're done... They say it's not a big deal, as lead in drinking water (old lead pipes) and food is supposedly a bigger concern.

[@pianova5825]

Martijn that would be interesting to know

[@SachsRealty]

France outlawed lead paint in the 1800's in the US we did so almost 100 years later. We just interviewed an expert on lead paint and its posted on our channel. It's a very interesting show, our agents learned a lot from it.

[@quaddamage87]

@@SachsRealty Todd, thanks so much for sharing your interview, I really appreciate it! Finally a video that covers every aspect of lead paint and its hazards. It definitely answered a lot of questions I still had. Especially interesting to hear Neil's field findings together with some real numbers. I subscribed to your channel, keep up the good work!

[@SachsRealty]

Martijn Thank you for watching! I’m glad you felt it worthwhile. Honored to have you subscribe 🙏 ,Todd

[@joey-mp3qc]

By 1920, it had pretty much been outlawed world wide. U.S. did not ban it until 1978.

[@chrisharris1521]

The thumbnail for this video looks like he's raising an eyebrow at the fact that the guy just said they can just chuck it in the bin and dump it like it's nothing.

[@arc.handyman1905]

In a scenario where there is lead paint, but the paint is peeling and therefore needs to be scraped off to be skim coated, is this something that is considered Lead Abatement and therefore cannot be performed by a Certified Renovator or can it be performed but just not labeled as lead abatement?

[@Tavbiy]

These guys are covered in head to toe with hazmat suits, gloves, respirators and special machines filtering the air, like they're about to go into Chernobyl and then they just chuck everything into the dumpster at the end. Even Richard looked surprised.

[@shadowblack1987]

Yepp, absolutely idiotic.

[@bkoz319]

yeah i guess no one cares about the garbage man

[@JakeLee14]

landfills are typically sealed so its not going into the ground water or anything.

[@SachsRealty]

Interesting observation. We just posted a video on lead paint and we all learned a great deal about the hazards from the expert we interviewed. This is certainly something agents deal with all of the time in pre-1978 houses.

[@000pdx]

No doubt, absolutely absurd. So I guess screw the garbage man who the bag may com open on. Makes about as much sense as opening a plastic knife from a plastic bag, buttering your bagel at starbucks one time and then throwing it in the ocean. A lost of the plastic ends up there.

[@kobelcofan]

I feel like the process is a little different when it's Friday and the crew is ready to go out for the 5:00 happy hour. I know I would start to slack a little.

[@aaroonsanchez123456]

Water is highly important to keep The dust down as it is required for asbestos abatement but also for lead in California!

[@ms6turbo]

Baseboards now full of lead dust.

[@JosephTammaro]

Great video. Question. Cost? How does a homeowner investigate the cost or quotes between lead abatement contractors?

[@michelegiering3147]

What about the trim? A gut job would be removal of both trim and wall board, right?

[@jumbojoe55]

Looks expensive, but safety is important.

[@tempakilla]

Starts as low as 10k on 1500 square ft home. Can go up rapidly.

[@hair8565]

I like how they left the door open to the rest of the home so the dust can spread into adjacent bedrooms via the hallway

[@geng8667]

All that hassle supposedly to avoid having lead dust contaminating the environment and at the end of the day, they just put in a regular dumpster.🤷🏻‍♀️😳 Oh brother!🙄

[@Shareefah101]

How long does complete removal of lead based paint for a 1,800 square foot home?

[@qntainmnt]

depends on what company you hire, but expect it to be a 3 day project or longer

[@michaelbarr8379]

Don't want to get it in the environment but it goes to a local landfill

[@phoenixzappa7366]

You can handle massive coils of lead. It's just when it's in particulate form and you breathe it in that it is bad for you

[@Mind69420]

Lead is a natural compound found in the soil we grow our foods currently. It won't matter if it's sitting in a landfill.

[@johnobeidin7296]

This is way different then the episode of this old house on Bob Vila's channel where a guy is just pressure washing off lead paint onto plastic sheeting.

[@glenn9883]

Great video. Thank you

[@patrickcooney4766]

Are there companies like this in Illinois?

[@SKF358]

So it goes in a landfill?

[@ericcastro8427]

Nice

[@ingridburling8731]

The outer bag used in the double-bagging process will have been covered with the dust from the workman's suit in the changing room as the man holding it and doing the double-bagging was still wearing a dirty suit!, and yet one guy is shown taking this bag downstairs and not wearing any gloves!!! I reckon he will get sick soon.

[@geng8667]

Hmmm🤔, makes you wonder...doesn’t it?

[@sdh97m]

I would wear gloves too, but I think the point is that carrying the bag through the house isn't likely to spread enough dust to hurt anyone. Point is keeping exposure low. Eliminating all lead dust in an old house is impossible anyway.

[@vapeurdepisse]

It's not radioactive...

[@whatlifeslike5300]

I sneezed just watching

[@davidzucker9111]

Wouldn't they have to do this to the whole house? Why would lead paint just be there? So basically gutting the entire house? Seems expensive and extreme.

[@sdh97m]

Getting rid of all lead paint in every house would be impossible, point is just to keep levels of exposure low. Since they want to demolish in the attic to refinish, it will create a *ton* of lead dust, so they have to be really careful. Lead trapped underneath other layers of sound paint through the rest of the house (which they aren't tearing up) aren't much risk of hurting anyone.

[@malo_2139]

Love this show!

[@siteworld123]

They didn't close the door...?

[@eli-y]

Third, cool video. I always watch this show.

[@aiymankhan7222]

Any ideas on how to identify if lead based paint has been used?

[@francobrothersLLC]

Home Depot has little let test kits you just break the little glass tubs and rub it in the bare paint then if it turns pink you got lead

[@joey-mp3qc]

They are not accurate though. A professional will use a scanner and be able to measure the actual level of lead. If its pre 1978... assume its lead and treat it as such.

[@gracebrown9475]

They also say if the paint chips and looks scaly (like alligator skin) the paint contains lead powder.

[@Lolatyou332]

@@joey-mp3qc they are accurate. They pick up lead paint by turning a dark pink. You just have to make sure there isn't paint ontop of the lead paint that was used to encapsulate it.

[@joshbaker1275]

They left the door open and the air mover ain't even on

[@juanitarogers5146]

I can't believe such an ignorant video exists - firstly, they are taking down lime plaster, which contains no lead. Lead paint was used on woodwork, not on plastered surfaces. Secondly, why take down a perfectly good lime plaster and lath skeiling? That is a heritage crime, in my book! Issues with lead paint arise when dealing with woodwork. It is true you have to be careful, but this is vastly overkill and just great money for a "lead expert". Thank goodness we have not had this sort of nonsense in the UK yet, Just either do your paint stripping outside in the fresh air, using a mask, or do it inside using a heat gun or chemical paint stripper, again wearing a mask and using good ventilation - like an open window. We don't have people dying of lead poisoning in the UK and there's plenty of old lead paint around still. What rubbish.

[@sjastram]

They ripped out perfectly good plaster, just to get rid of lead paint? Smh......seal it with lead sealer primer and paint. Good grief.

[@oftin_wong]

Remove lathe that's in great condition ...weird

[@vapeurdepisse]

Lathe is garbage

[@ericsodt]

Only in Massachusetts does it cost three times the amount to get rid of the paint. These companies scam and scare people about this stuff. In the end, it ends up in a regular land fill

[@stevenhulbert7540]

Oh no, it cost more in California, as everything else does!

[@vapeurdepisse]

It's a big scam. They did not touch the paint, they literally just removed the plaster with the paint attached to it. It didn't release any lead dust.

[@justjiggin11]

Help me "this old house".

[@chrislo7726]

I think lead poisoning have mpact the contractor greater then the number of infant or child alone.

[@harveypost7799]

At my age lead is my friend..I'm outta hear.

[@davidplata1302]

Dumpster 😂

[@harveypost7799]

How do u like ur new handrail...OH ARCHIE its as solid as a rock ...stifle urself Edith....U don't tell me to stifle myself Archie ...oh chezzzz Edith ..I'm Tom Silva I'm outta hear.

[@eli-y]

Third

[@kitsurubami]

"takes away IQ points" what a strange thing to say.

[@EdwardHeavrin]

This is completely bonkers. There’s no reason to do this unless they were renovating their 3rd floor. Otherwise what a waste

[@NewsBroadcasting]

0:35 they are saying its a NEUROTOXIN - and so is plastic - so stop using PLASTIC COFFEE MACHINES

[@geng8667]

😱

[@wadetaylor9974]

👉landfill👉water table 👉kitchen sinc👉baby's infamil

[@americanstreet8704]

I grew up with all paint being lead and none of us had problems

[@arc.handyman1905]

Speak for yourself...

[@bri7014]

The problem is when it is ingested or becomes airborne during removal

[@exfolios]

I olso growed up around ledd pain and I doesn't simm to hav a provlem.

[@davidramey7186]

This is complete nonsense

[@samimoha2027]

Why?

[@davidramey7186]

@@samimoha2027 in my opinion lead and asbestos are dangerous but I also believe the issues are far overblown in many scenarios. This being one of them. We routinely deal with far worse substances on a daily basis everywhere in our communities

[@georgenemeth4837]

I am probably wrong, but can't they just encapsulate it rather than destroying the home?

[@tarasmancinas-stepanenko307]

In some cases it is fine and legal. Remove any loose material and paint over it. This goes for both interior and exterior. Sometimes it’s just not possible to completely remove everything let alone the cost and time that would go into a project of that sort. Basic interim control is what loads of homeowners properties call for but depending on your local code you, more often than not, need a certified professional to do the work. Aluminum coil on windows wells and asphalt siding over old clap boards could pass an inspection. It’s important to read into your local code for what’s safe and legal. I will say this the complete removal of lead is the best thing you could have down to make it completely safe for now and the future however it is out of a lot of peoples price range and isn’t always necessary for a safe living space. So in short your not wrong!

[@RegulareoldNorseBoy]

People have no idea how hot this kind of work is