I’ve used this to treat an old house as a homeowner and am getting ready to do another. Just did a light, safe prep, used Lead Defender as the primer, 1 coat laying it on nice and thick to penetrate the old layers of lead paint, then topcoated 1 coat. Problem solved. Holding up great so far (4yrs), this stuff softens and soaks into old layers and seems to bond better despite minimal prep. Tinted it a bit, similar to topcoat color. Using it from now on, it’s a no-brainer all around.
I have window sills and trim with lead paint. It's chipping and deteriorating. Some places have paint that kind of peels up (I assume that isn't the actual lead layer). What do I need to do before using the eco bond paint?
Surround the area you're working in with plastic drop clothes. Mist with water and scrape. NEVER dry sand! You are allowed to wet sand. The idea of using water is so invisible lead dust isn't floating in the air and contaminating other living spaces. It takes a very small amount of lead dust to contaminate a large area such as the first floor of a property unit. I also highly suggest wearing tyvek style suits and respirators because you don't want to breathe in lead dust and you don't want lead dust on your clothes.
do most paints contain traces of lead today even though it is below action level? I did a lead assessment of my apartment that was converted to a condo in the 90s and it contained small trace amounts even though the paint is likely not from the 70s. Curious if that is normal for "lead free" paints to have some lead?
It's understandable to be concerned about finding small traces of lead in your supposedly "lead-free" paint, even if it's below the action level. Here's what you need to know: Trace amounts of lead in modern paints: Yes, it's normal for some modern paints to have trace amounts of lead, even if they are labeled as "lead-free." The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) defines "lead-free" as containing no more than 0.06% lead by weight, which is a very small amount but not technically zero. This trace amount is generally considered safe for healthy adults as long as the paint is in good condition and not chipping or peeling. However, for young children and pregnant women, even low levels of lead exposure can be harmful. Possible reasons for finding trace amounts in your case: Residual contamination: It's possible that the trace lead you detected could be residual contamination from paintbrushes, rollers, or other tools used during the condo conversion in the 90s, even if the new paint itself was lead-free. Cross-contamination: If the contractor who painted your condo also worked on older buildings with lead-based paint, their equipment could have unintentionally transferred tiny amounts of lead dust to your walls. Mislabeled paint: In rare cases, some paints labeled as "lead-free" may actually contain slightly higher levels of lead than allowed by the CPSC standard. What to do now: Don't panic: Finding trace amounts of lead is not necessarily a major cause for alarm. If the paint is in good condition and you take precautions to minimize exposure, the risk is likely low. Retest: Consider having a second lead test conducted by a certified professional to confirm the results and identify the source of the lead. Take precautions: If you have young children or are pregnant, it's important to take some precautions to minimize exposure to lead dust. This includes: Regularly cleaning surfaces with a damp cloth or mop to remove dust. Washing hands frequently, especially after cleaning or playing on the floor. Keeping children away from areas with peeling or chipping paint. Consult with your doctor if you have concerns about your child's lead exposure. Additional resources: EPA Lead website: www.epa.gov/lead CDC Lead website: www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/default.htm Consumer Product Safety Commission Lead website: www.cpsc.gov/Business--Manufacturing/Business-Education/Lead/Lead-in-Paint By understanding the situation and taking appropriate precautions, you can manage the potential risks associated with low-level lead exposure in your apartment.
@@LeadPaintDetectives Thanks for this thorough response. Any chance you know the conversion of 0.4 mg/cm2 to ppm? That was the highest reading in my apartment.
@@whiteowl0227 I am not a math whiz and most of the calculations I have to make are done by the lab I send lead dust samples to. But, I did my best to look up any information I could find to help you. Converting directly from mg/cm^2 to ppm for paint is not possible because it requires additional information about the specific paint and its properties, such as its density and thickness. The units mg/cm^2 and ppm measure different things: mg/cm^2: This unit measures the mass of a substance (in this case, the paint) per unit area. It tells you how much paint is spread over a certain area. ppm: This unit, parts per million, is a dimensionless ratio that expresses the concentration of a substance as parts of that substance per million parts of something else. In the context of paint, it could represent the mass of lead in the paint per million parts of the total paint by weight. Therefore, to convert from mg/cm^2 to ppm for paint, you would need to know: The density of the paint: This tells you how much mass of paint is present in a given volume. The thickness of the paint layer: This tells you the volume of paint per unit area. Once you have this information, you can calculate the mass of paint per unit area (mg/cm^2) and then divide it by the density of the paint and multiply by 1 million to get the concentration in ppm. For example, if the paint has a density of 2 g/cm^3 and the paint layer is 0.1 mm thick (0.01 cm), then: The mass of paint per unit area would be 0.4 mg/cm^2. The volume of paint per unit area would be 0.001 cm^3/cm^2. The mass of paint per unit volume (density) would be 0.4 mg/cm^2 / 0.001 cm^3/cm^2 = 400 mg/cm^3. Therefore, the concentration in ppm would be (0.4 mg/cm^2) / (400 mg/cm^3) * 1,000,000 = 1000 ppm. However, without knowing the specific density and thickness of the paint in your case, it's impossible to provide an accurate conversion to ppm.
The process I use: I get premade drywall mud because it’s thin and easy to work with. It takes longer to dry, but if your working with a lead paint wall it’s the way to go. Fixing divots, I apply the drywall mud with a plastic knife in three layers. Between each layer, I use a big car wash sponge and water sand the wall. I’m trying to minimize to zero any dust in the air. With practice, you can get it down to just 2 layers. For cracks and seams: I use the same premade drywall mud. self-stick fiber tape, and a 12” mud blade. Lay down your sticky fiber tape, then one by one add 3 layers of mud, water sand after it’s dry and after each layer added. Pre-made drywall shrinks and in thick layers can take 24 hours to cure depending on humidity levels. It’s very hard to water sand without mechanical equipment using 90 minute (cure time) or less drywall mud. It creates dust no matter what. I’ve tried water sanding with a palm sander… albeit it works, but it still creates dust.
Thanks for this video. Would you say it is necessary to encapsulate surfaces if your lead readings are all below 0/5 /cm2? Im buying an apartment where my newborn will be raised in and had it tested. The test fall below the NYC city limit, but I'm inclined to taking more precautions.
I always say it's better to be safe than sorry especially since you have a newborn. It's important to note that ECOBOND is a sealer and not an encapsulant. Those are two different products applied very differently. For your project it sounds like ECONOND sealer will give the extra protection you're looking for.
@@LeadPaintDetectiveswhat’s the difference between a sealer and encapsulate? Do you feel abatement is the best solution or should sealing would be enough for my situation?
@@whiteowl0227 @daviddelgado2124 A sealer applies like paint and an encapsulant requires special application with thickness tolerances. They both are trying to do the same thing trying to cover lead paint. ECOBOND as a sealer is easier to use than an encapsulant. Does this help?
And... Abatement, by removing the source of the lead paint is always better than an encapsulant or sealer, but you have to clean up properly before, during, and after abatement keeping airborne lead dust to a minimum.
@@LeadPaintDetectives Thanks for the detailed response. I appreciate the work. you do to provide this education and a product that helps protect people and families like mine.
Hello, will this help obtain a "zero lead" certification when inspectors use the "gun" or will this provide a "permissible" level of lead during inspection at the time/date of inspection? As in an annual level check. I am trying to obtain protection of both liability and for my tenants with the prevention of lead exposure. Thank you very much.
ECOBOND is a sealer and after application if you use an XRF gun it will still show lead beneath the surface. I don't know your location so check your local/state/federal laws to see what is "permissable".
You need to scrape off the chipping paint first. In doing so you should always wet sand or wet scrape by misting the surface with water to minimize lead dust. ECOBOND won't help peeling paint stick back onto the substrate. All loose paint should be misted with water, scraped, then painted following Renovation, Repair, and Paint rules.
Hiya, painting some lead panels of a big structure. So we're sanding, undercoating then 2 top coats. Can you advise if we need to use a certain product or change the process. Thankyou
Make sure you follow all Renovation, Repair, and Paint (RRP) rules. When sanding you should never dry sand lead paint... Always wet sand by spraying the substrate with water then sanding. Your process sounds correct and you should be fine with two top coats.
Yes. I have used this to treat a house a few years ago, and have spoken to their rep Paul in Colorado a few times, and he said it basically is a primer, that’s it’s primary function, to use as a primer that adheres very well, actually softens and soaks into the old layers of paint, and can be topcoated if desired (which I did). Best solution I could find 👍
ECOBOND is a sealer/treatment. It turns the taste of lead paint bitter so kids will stop eating lead chips of paint. I'm not an expert, I tried it and liked it. I suggest you contact ECOBOND and ask the same question. ecobondlbp.com/
@@LeadPaintDetectives While I agree that making the surface coating not taste sweet is a good idea, most children are lead poisoned by lead in dust in their environment. A proper paint stabilizer doesn't need to be so expensive is my only point.
Hi, if a lead dust swipe were done on the area treated with this product, would the result mostly likely show acceptable lead dust levels or not really?
@@cheryllee2642 Yes. If I perform a Dust Wipe Inspection after sealing with ECOBOND, the area should pass. However, opening and closing a treated wood window before a Dust Wipe Inspection, due to friction points on the window, the area may fail. Wood windows are tricky and must be cleaned properly to pass a Dust Wipe Inspection.
I’ve used this to treat an old house as a homeowner and am getting ready to do another. Just did a light, safe prep, used Lead Defender as the primer, 1 coat laying it on nice and thick to penetrate the old layers of lead paint, then topcoated 1 coat. Problem solved. Holding up great so far (4yrs), this stuff softens and soaks into old layers and seems to bond better despite minimal prep. Tinted it a bit, similar to topcoat color. Using it from now on, it’s a no-brainer all around.
Look how new it looks!!
I have window sills and trim with lead paint. It's chipping and deteriorating. Some places have paint that kind of peels up (I assume that isn't the actual lead layer). What do I need to do before using the eco bond paint?
Surround the area you're working in with plastic drop clothes. Mist with water and scrape. NEVER dry sand! You are allowed to wet sand. The idea of using water is so invisible lead dust isn't floating in the air and contaminating other living spaces. It takes a very small amount of lead dust to contaminate a large area such as the first floor of a property unit. I also highly suggest wearing tyvek style suits and respirators because you don't want to breathe in lead dust and you don't want lead dust on your clothes.
Can I use this on my baseboard that has lead paint in order to prime it?
Yes you can.
do most paints contain traces of lead today even though it is below action level? I did a lead assessment of my apartment that was converted to a condo in the 90s and it contained small trace amounts even though the paint is likely not from the 70s. Curious if that is normal for "lead free" paints to have some lead?
It's understandable to be concerned about finding small traces of lead in your supposedly "lead-free" paint, even if it's below the action level. Here's what you need to know:
Trace amounts of lead in modern paints:
Yes, it's normal for some modern paints to have trace amounts of lead, even if they are labeled as "lead-free." The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) defines "lead-free" as containing no more than 0.06% lead by weight, which is a very small amount but not technically zero.
This trace amount is generally considered safe for healthy adults as long as the paint is in good condition and not chipping or peeling. However, for young children and pregnant women, even low levels of lead exposure can be harmful.
Possible reasons for finding trace amounts in your case:
Residual contamination:
It's possible that the trace lead you detected could be residual contamination from paintbrushes, rollers, or other tools used during the condo conversion in the 90s, even if the new paint itself was lead-free.
Cross-contamination:
If the contractor who painted your condo also worked on older buildings with lead-based paint, their equipment could have unintentionally transferred tiny amounts of lead dust to your walls.
Mislabeled paint:
In rare cases, some paints labeled as "lead-free" may actually contain slightly higher levels of lead than allowed by the CPSC standard.
What to do now:
Don't panic:
Finding trace amounts of lead is not necessarily a major cause for alarm. If the paint is in good condition and you take precautions to minimize exposure, the risk is likely low.
Retest:
Consider having a second lead test conducted by a certified professional to confirm the results and identify the source of the lead.
Take precautions:
If you have young children or are pregnant, it's important to take some precautions to minimize exposure to lead dust.
This includes:
Regularly cleaning surfaces with a damp cloth or mop to remove dust.
Washing hands frequently, especially after cleaning or playing on the floor.
Keeping children away from areas with peeling or chipping paint.
Consult with your doctor if you have concerns about your child's lead exposure.
Additional resources:
EPA Lead website: www.epa.gov/lead
CDC Lead website: www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/default.htm
Consumer Product Safety Commission Lead website: www.cpsc.gov/Business--Manufacturing/Business-Education/Lead/Lead-in-Paint
By understanding the situation and taking appropriate precautions, you can manage the potential risks associated with low-level lead exposure in your apartment.
@@LeadPaintDetectives Thanks for this thorough response.
Any chance you know the conversion of 0.4 mg/cm2 to ppm? That was the highest reading in my apartment.
@@whiteowl0227 I am not a math whiz and most of the calculations I have to make are done by the lab I send lead dust samples to. But, I did my best to look up any information I could find to help you.
Converting directly from mg/cm^2 to ppm for paint is not possible because it requires additional information about the specific paint and its properties, such as its density and thickness.
The units mg/cm^2 and ppm measure different things:
mg/cm^2: This unit measures the mass of a substance (in this case, the paint) per unit area. It tells you how much paint is spread over a certain area.
ppm: This unit, parts per million, is a dimensionless ratio that expresses the concentration of a substance as parts of that substance per million parts of something else. In the context of paint, it could represent the mass of lead in the paint per million parts of the total paint by weight.
Therefore, to convert from mg/cm^2 to ppm for paint, you would need to know:
The density of the paint: This tells you how much mass of paint is present in a given volume.
The thickness of the paint layer: This tells you the volume of paint per unit area.
Once you have this information, you can calculate the mass of paint per unit area (mg/cm^2) and then divide it by the density of the paint and multiply by 1 million to get the concentration in ppm.
For example, if the paint has a density of 2 g/cm^3 and the paint layer is 0.1 mm thick (0.01 cm), then:
The mass of paint per unit area would be 0.4 mg/cm^2.
The volume of paint per unit area would be 0.001 cm^3/cm^2.
The mass of paint per unit volume (density) would be 0.4 mg/cm^2 / 0.001 cm^3/cm^2 = 400 mg/cm^3.
Therefore, the concentration in ppm would be (0.4 mg/cm^2) / (400 mg/cm^3) * 1,000,000 = 1000 ppm.
However, without knowing the specific density and thickness of the paint in your case, it's impossible to provide an accurate conversion to ppm.
what would you do if you wanted to fix the wall and remove the divots and cover the cracks?
The process I use: I get premade drywall mud because it’s thin and easy to work with. It takes longer to dry, but if your working with a lead paint wall it’s the way to go. Fixing divots, I apply the drywall mud with a plastic knife in three layers. Between each layer, I use a big car wash sponge and water sand the wall. I’m trying to minimize to zero any dust in the air. With practice, you can get it down to just 2 layers.
For cracks and seams: I use the same premade drywall mud. self-stick fiber tape, and a 12” mud blade. Lay down your sticky fiber tape, then one by one add 3 layers of mud, water sand after it’s dry and after each layer added.
Pre-made drywall shrinks and in thick layers can take 24 hours to cure depending on humidity levels. It’s very hard to water sand without mechanical equipment using 90 minute (cure time) or less drywall mud. It creates dust no matter what. I’ve tried water sanding with a palm sander… albeit it works, but it still creates dust.
Thanks for this video. Would you say it is necessary to encapsulate surfaces if your lead readings are all below 0/5 /cm2? Im buying an apartment where my newborn will be raised in and had it tested. The test fall below the NYC city limit, but I'm inclined to taking more precautions.
I always say it's better to be safe than sorry especially since you have a newborn. It's important to note that ECOBOND is a sealer and not an encapsulant. Those are two different products applied very differently. For your project it sounds like ECONOND sealer will give the extra protection you're looking for.
@@LeadPaintDetectiveswhat’s the difference between a sealer and encapsulate? Do you feel abatement is the best solution or should sealing would be enough for my situation?
@@whiteowl0227 @daviddelgado2124 A sealer applies like paint and an encapsulant requires special application with thickness tolerances. They both are trying to do the same thing trying to cover lead paint. ECOBOND as a sealer is easier to use than an encapsulant. Does this help?
And... Abatement, by removing the source of the lead paint is always better than an encapsulant or sealer, but you have to clean up properly before, during, and after abatement keeping airborne lead dust to a minimum.
@@LeadPaintDetectives Thanks for the detailed response. I appreciate the work. you do to provide this education and a product that helps protect people and families like mine.
Hello, will this help obtain a "zero lead" certification when inspectors use the "gun" or will this provide a "permissible" level of lead during inspection at the time/date of inspection? As in an annual level check. I am trying to obtain protection of both liability and for my tenants with the prevention of lead exposure. Thank you very much.
ECOBOND is a sealer and after application if you use an XRF gun it will still show lead beneath the surface. I don't know your location so check your local/state/federal laws to see what is "permissable".
Great video! I have a question. Can I use this on a painted wood door or should I remove the layers of paint first? Thanks
Carefully prepare the surface by using a stripper or scraping following the Renovation, Repair, and Paint guidelines, then paint on ECOBOND.
Do i need to scrape chipping paint off first? If so, should I apply one coat first then chip and apply second coat?
You need to scrape off the chipping paint first. In doing so you should always wet sand or wet scrape by misting the surface with water to minimize lead dust. ECOBOND won't help peeling paint stick back onto the substrate. All loose paint should be misted with water, scraped, then painted following Renovation, Repair, and Paint rules.
Hiya, painting some lead panels of a big structure. So we're sanding, undercoating then 2 top coats. Can you advise if we need to use a certain product or change the process.
Thankyou
Make sure you follow all Renovation, Repair, and Paint (RRP) rules. When sanding you should never dry sand lead paint... Always wet sand by spraying the substrate with water then sanding. Your process sounds correct and you should be fine with two top coats.
Can you use this as a primer?
Yes. I have used this to treat a house a few years ago, and have spoken to their rep Paul in Colorado a few times, and he said it basically is a primer, that’s it’s primary function, to use as a primer that adheres very well, actually softens and soaks into the old layers of paint, and can be topcoated if desired (which I did). Best solution I could find 👍
If ECOBOnd is just a primer, why pay $56.00 instead of $26.00 per gallon for a regular primer?
ECOBOND is a sealer/treatment. It turns the taste of lead paint bitter so kids will stop eating lead chips of paint. I'm not an expert, I tried it and liked it. I suggest you contact ECOBOND and ask the same question. ecobondlbp.com/
@@LeadPaintDetectives While I agree that making the surface coating not taste sweet is a good idea, most children are lead poisoned by lead in dust in their environment. A proper paint stabilizer doesn't need to be so expensive is my only point.
This product is Not an encapsulated product. More of a deterrent.
Yes... It's a sealant/treatment NOT an encapsulate.
Hi, if a lead dust swipe were done on the area treated with this product, would the result mostly likely show acceptable lead dust levels or not really?
@@cheryllee2642 Yes. If I perform a Dust Wipe Inspection after sealing with ECOBOND, the area should pass. However, opening and closing a treated wood window before a Dust Wipe Inspection, due to friction points on the window, the area may fail. Wood windows are tricky and must be cleaned properly to pass a Dust Wipe Inspection.