Our first Lead Containment, Control, and Clean-up Project

As a Certified Renovation Firm, and good servant to our customers, we are proud to understand and perform lead paint-safety procedures in accordance with Federal guidelines.  What follows is a description with a commentary about our first experience renovating in the regulated lead paint environment.

Performed on Friday, July 16th, 2010, this project saw the replacement of a small glass block window with a fiberglass double-hung replacement window installed in the Master Bathroom, a long room off the Master Bedroom.  The existing window was equipped with one block missing, replaced with an inefficient and insufficiently ventilating aluminum vent. 

Replacing a poorly venting glass block window

Built in 1959 according to county assessor records, this ranch-style single-family brick dwelling is in the south of Denver, and is owned and occupied by a young family of four including two little girls aged seven and five.  On the day of the installation, only the husband was home.  The window was exposed to the protected front porch of the dwelling, and faced north.  The day was hot, dry, and calm (96 degree high, no precipitation). 

I had held a long discussion with the buyer about lead safety prior to receiving the order, during which we decided that Egret would not do testing for the presence of lead in paint, but rather presume its presence and perform a RRP procedure.  Prior to our arrival, the husband had purchased a lead testing kit from Ace Hardware.  We carved away paint at two places, one from the exterior wood brickmould, the other from interior window casing.  Peeling paint from a spot on the wall a couple of feet from the window was also retrieved, and we watched the husband perform three tests with a device consisting of a dropper to introduce drops of water to each of two white pads.  The brickmould and casing samplings were negative.  The plaster side of the peeling sample showed a slight orange-pink tint in a dimpled pattern in a small area in the center of the 2-3 square inch chip, resembling a rash if you will, which he determined to be inconclusive for the presence of lead.  But I wanted to practice our procedures, so

Location:

Littleton

Product Series:

Milgard Ultra Fiberglass