In a message dated 7/25/99 12:49:19 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

>            Isn't it dangerous to just scatter lead paint chips around?

Because of the lead content, some jurisdictions require "abatement"
procedures  -- collecting the paint chips in tarps, sealing them in
containers, then disposing of them in an appropriate toxic waste disposal
site  (preferably not in NJ).
>
>            How much does it cost to "power wash"?  What equipment would
>            we need?

Sorry, can't help here. Every market is different. NJ prices may be very
different from Toledo. Get bids.
>
>            If we spray paint the house, how do we keep the spray out
>            of places where it doesn't belong?  It gets windy here.
>
I think they cover and seal the windows and doors. It's hard to cover and
seal the neighbors, however, or your car or rosebushes. The good thing:
modern paints (since 1974, as I recall) don't contain lead.

The lead problem is a hot issue in some places. There areconcerns about the
breathable dust generated by sanding exterior paint surfaces on old
buildings, which then flies into the air, contaminating the environs. The
preferred method has become scraping (so that the chips can fall in the
tarps). Power washing would seem to blast them all over. Ask the power
washing companies what they do about abatement. Maybe scraping is your best
answer.

Mary Krugman