Getting the Lead Out

The Hidden (or not so Hidden) Lead in Homes:

The main part of my house was built in the 1700's. The approximate year is 1778 from some sources. Additions were added on to the two ends and the back of it to expand it some since it was a "miller's" home--belonging to the person who oversaw and ran the Middleton Mills that used to exist on the James River which is down the bluff, across the railroad tracks, and virtually in my back yard.

Originally, it was a four (4) room home. Two rooms downstairs and two rooms upstairs. As time went by, someone decided to paint the front face of brick. The color might have been white at the time (covering past whitewash) or the yellowish color may have been the true intended color. I do not know. What I do know is that they covered it with LEAD paint.

I only know this because I had a contractor come to give me an estimate on some work I wanted done, and when I said I wanted the paint removed and suspected it was probably lead based (it was thick, and old, and peeling/flaking) he said he'd test it for me. And yep. Lead.

This week, specialists in lead paint removal came to chip and remove the paint. They covered most everything with plastic and scraped away! Unfortunately, there's paint remaining that they can't get off which is supposed to be able to be dissolved from the brick in a process later. We'll see. I'll keep you updated.

I'm hoping that the rest of the "yellow" (aka-lead paint) will come off in the next process because I'd like to paint the front brick with a clear coat of paint to show off the brick and the interesting pattern over the door and windows--but if not--then painting over it is not quite so simple.

You see, you have to use what is called "encapsulent" paint which is a primer you put on before adding the actual color paint. It's specifically designed to cover lead paint which keeps the lead from leaking/escaping in the form of dust, etc. This is extremely important, not only for myself and my little dog, Trapper, but for my visitors (particularly my little grandbaby girl who is almost 6 months old now).

Let's also add a new EPA finalized rule now that "declares any detectable amount of the toxin in a home or child care center to be hazardous" (October 2024). This affects public spaces and homes with childcare, etc., but for me, the work MUST be done, and done right--and so I'm working on it. And no, from what I've discovered so far, homeowner's insurance will not cover removing the lead paint from your home--EPA rule or not. It's the homeowner's expense, sad to say.

Anyway--it may end up painted white if we can't get the yellow color out--which would be okay. Technically, they'd whitewash brick anyway back in the day, and you can see the old whitewash vs the yellow lead paint in the pics if you look close.

What You Need to Know About Lead Paint:

Having lead paint inside, or even on the outside, of your home is dangerous and can result in "lead poisoning." While young children are at high risk for health complications from lead exposure and poisoning, so are older adults. In fact, older adults can have lead "hibernate within bone for decades." Even blood and bone levels that show "modest" lead exposure are associated with high blood pressure, poor kidney function and cognitive impairment.

After reading and understanding more about lead exposure and cognitive impairment--I'm wondering if this explains why I rush into a room and then have no idea why I went in there, or why I have to spend 10-15 minutes hunting down my cellphone or my car keys and then I'm late to where I'm going. It doesn't explain why I had those problems before I moved into this house in 2016 though--so if lead is affecting me and contributing to cognitive impairment, then the exposure started somewhere else. And come to think of it--many people I know must be suffering from the same thing too. :)

What are Sources of Lead Paint and How to Avoid Them:

Luckily, I've had my well water/drinking water tested and it is absent of lead or heavy metals (although there must still be some copper pipe that helps to turn my tub green as well as tint my hair a "wicked" color.

So make sure you know your water is safe. If you live in an old home built before 1978, then check to be sure you don't have lead based paint in your home.

I remember leaded gasoline, and how we used to breathe in car exhaust fumes and smell gasoline that we put into the lawnmowers. I have to really wonder how many toxic heavy metals my body has been exposed to over the years. My next check-up, I'm asking for labs to eheck for heavy metals in my blood just to be sure I'm not a walking "Superfund site."

Here are two great articles that list potential sources of lead exposure/lead poisoning that you might find helpful.

EPA: Protect Your Family from Sources of Lead

New York State Department of Health: Sources of Lead

That's it for today, folks, so until next time--stay safe and be well. And remember--Create Your Best Path. Often we follow the paths of others because we aren't sure what our path is. And that's okay. Later you may decide to deviate, to mix it up based on your life experience, decisions you've made and new things you learn. That's okay too.

I used to often say, "There is more than one path to the top of a mountain, and some of us create our own." Later I learned that Japan's greatest sword hero, Miyamoto Musashi said close to the same thing in 1645:

“You must understand that there is more than one path to the top of the mountain”

― Miyamoto Musashi, A Book of Five Rings: The Classic Guide to Strategy

So, create your best path. And if you don't know what that is, trust me, it's waiting for you to discover it!

~Cin