Good advice for DIY in an old house

Here's some information and video for people who own and renovate old houses. It's likely you may encounter lead paint, and it's best to be prepared and fully informed.

Up until the mid-1960s, lead was used a lot in household paint. It was most commonly used for windows, doors, woodwork, and for some metal items.

Lead is dangerous if you breath it in or swallow it.

Dealing with lead paint in good condition

Simply paint over it with a coat of new paint. This will seal in the lead and prevent it from causing any harm.

Dealing with lead paint in poor condition

If you have to remove lead paint to redecorate, use methods that don’t create dust or fumes, for example:

• Use a solvent-based or caustic paint stripper, or choose a water-based, solvent-free paint remover
  
• Use a hot-air gun to soften the paint, rather than burn it off which creates fumes
  

If you are using a hot air gun, keep surfaces moist when removing paint, and make sure your gun is set to below 450˚C.

How do you know if you have lead paint in your house?

If your house or flat has been built in the last 40 years, then it is unlikely you will have any lead paint.

For those living in older properties with thick paintwork, lead paint could be locked into the paint layers. This is not a problem if the paintwork is in good condition and you don’t plan to redecorate.

You can buy test kits from some retail or trade paint shops if you are still not sure.