In case you haven't gotten the word, the EPA has put in place law that mandates special "CLEAN" processes for all renovations, repairs, and painting on pre-1978 homes. All contractors are required to be EPA certified as businesses and to have someone in charge of the job who is EPA "Lead Renovator" trained. Any contractor who works on your windows, remodels, or paints inside or out has a Federally mandated obligation to supply you with an educational pamphlet called Renovate Right, for which you will be required to sign a document verifying receipt thereof. Before any work can be done, the contractor is required to test for lead on the painted surfaces to be disturbed by the work. Warning signs, plastic sheeting barriers, ventilation sealing, zippered entries and zero access while work is underway, along with disposable hooded clean suits, shoe mitts, and gloves all work together to protect the worker, you and especially your children and pregnant women from lead poisoning. This clean process adds costs and time to any project and the contractor, fearing a $32K per day fine (Yes, that's K, as in 1,000.00!) has no choice but to comply and pass the new costs of this ritual on to the consumer as part of the overall job cost. With my company, the additional cost will be figured at 20% for the short term and then as time passes and we are able to compute more accurately the actual cost of compliance we will adjust up or down as the market and our costs demand.

You of course can work on your stuff alone without contractors, but it wouldn't hurt to read up on the lead issue at: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/elp/EPArenovate.shtm

Common sense tells you NOT to use a power sander on an old house without knowing what kind of dust you are creating. Be smart and protect yourself and your family. Use masks, always use a Hepa filter vacuum attachment on power tools. And clean up after yourself like you were cleaning up a nuclear spill...lots of wet Swifters and wipedowns.

Though your test means nothing to the EPA it certainly would be valuable information for you to know if you have lead paint present somewhere in your house. These test kits can be purchased at Home Depot. I don't know if they come with instructions, probably they do. It was part of our EPA training to learn how to use the test kit. It is very straightforward and a zealous DIYER who's working without a contractor could do the process himself. Don't fly blind. Check for lead paint!

Till next time...

We are coming up on a season of guilt inducing Valentine cards and I just wanted to come clean with you about one of the common behaviors that we indulge in. Saving them. THE DOORS OF YOUR HOUSE ARE NOT GOOD MOUNTING SPOTS FOR CARDS AND PHOTOS!!! Pin-holes let in moisture and become starting points for tears in the finish or de-lamination of the finish from the door. Far worse, TAPE, especially Scotch Tape, will remove a "chunk of finish all the way to the base material of a door leaving nasty white rectangular foot prints in their wake. Faux-stained fiber-glass wood grained doors are the most vulnerable and incur a start-over-from-scratch mandate...cost? $150.00 and up. Enamel painted doors, all kinds,are right up there in vulnerability too. If the door is painted with any kind of latex, the tape not only puts a hole in the finish but starts a "never-ending" tear that is just about impossible to patch. Enjoy the card! Set them up for one night on your kitchen island then trash them without mercy.

One exception and one additional NO-NO...
An unfinished glass door surface is OK but might leave tape adhesive later.
Taping NOTES and ENVELOPES to the front door is as destructive to the finish as it gets.

Hardwood floors are almost always coated with polyurethane to protect the wood from abrasion and to provide the final sheen. Polyurethane is extremely hard and has a tendency to 'lay-on-top' rather than penetrate the wood grain very far. This is fine as a scuffing barrier but the coating is Particularly Fragile to tape, which when removed has a tendency to jerk the whole multi-layered finish off in one pull leaving a spot of bare uncoated wood where there was moments before a flawless finish. Even the $8.00 per roll 3M Blue tape with the Orange liner ("delicate" surfaces) can do this to your floors. Some non-porcelain tile with stained finishes and clear sealer coats are also remarkably vulnerable.

If you remove tape stuck to your floor NEVER JERK STRAIGHT UP as this is a sure way to make a hole in the finish. Always pull the tape slowly back over itself along the floor surface. This is your best chance of avoiding disaster. NEVER USE SIMPLE MASKING TAPE... It is too sticky! The best way to protect your floor is to attach the plastic full coverage sheeting wall to wall, sticking the sheeting to your baseboards at the bottom of the walls.

More about tape later...

Water Spots on the Ceiling are a indicator that you have a water leak somewhere over the area. Normally they are caused by a leaking roof which needs repairing or replacement. But can also be caused by a pipe leak or excessive moisture in your air conditioner ducts. So if you can get above the area examine it closely for any sign of moisture.

Before the calendar start date, (allow yourself one or two days to get ready) . In most cases the customer is responsible for protecting their property by moving personal items such as: Art on walls, Bed linens, Knick Knacks, All Book Case items, All Items in Hutches and China Cabinets, All items on all counter tops, Kitchen and Bath included, All items on furniture, All floor decorations, Clothes in closets to be painted or near inside closet doors that are to be painted, Any and all small items. And if you have one in a room to be painted, drain waterbeds.

By you removing your items from being in the painters way you help them to be more efficient as well as protect your possessions from damage.

Often the proper preparation was not performed before the paint was applied. Proper preparation is actually more important than the paint color coat. If not prepared/repaired properly then the exterior coat will separate from the wood and peel off. Adding a new coat of paint over the peeling area will not do anything but buy you a little time before it peels again. Proper preparation is the key.

Another factor to look for is moisture collection and invasion of the wood surfaces which we will discuss in another topic.