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threwthelookinggrass OP t1_ja99cyz wrote

Reply to comment by shifty_coder in Is this a good plan on removing a probable lead paint ceiling? by threwthelookinggrass

120+ years. I'm fairly confident that the paint is lead.

I know the drywall mud has trace amounts of asbestos in it from previous testing. I guess I gotta get the guy back out here to test the plaster?

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jtablerd t1_jaa96f4 wrote

Or you can just assume that the lead is present. RRP (Renovate Right Program, the EPA regulations for lead renovation) says that the presence of lead doesn't matter if you're the homeowner which is super stupid but I'm glad you're taking precautions.
You're pretty close with what you're doing but:

  • need to put plastic on floor and covering any fixtures/furnishings, sealed with tape to the wall. Must be completely sealed. You'll still have to hepa vac everything after you get this up.
  • Disposal is just wrapping up that floor covering and all other debris in 2 plastic bags, each wrapped up and taped or tied off, then you can put in regular waste
  • Any vents or other openings to other parts of the house must also be sealed. (Doorways)
  • I'd strongly recommend renting a negative air machine rather than your box fan plan, they're super cheap. Not required by the regs for homeowners but is for RRP work so please spend the 40 bucks or whatever it is if you'll only need it for a day, or whatever however long you need it... Get a negative air machine please
    If you have any other questions please give a shout, I'm happy people are trying to be safe about this.

Source: licensed lead renovator specializing in antique new england homes

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threwthelookinggrass OP t1_jaaalww wrote

I really appreciate you taking the time to comment something helpful. I did a take home test and it came out positive. Id rather just be safe and clean than find out in 20 years I inhaled a bunch of shit.

Is the plaster having asbestos a valid concern (house built in 1900)? I’m much more apprehensive about doing that myself if it is.

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jtablerd t1_jaaeni5 wrote

Oh my I'm happy to help...fwiw I rarely test and we assume that it's present in homes of a certain vintage because it's there. Lead is also likely there in any stained finishes mainly pre 1960s so be aware of that too if ever refinishing floors or stained trim, the varnish used to have lead in it... Anyways, my expertise and certs are related to lead and not asbestos, but afaik the same dust and air control mitigation measures with regard to people and air are generally the same. Full face respirator (shave and leak test!), hooded tykek suit, booties, etc. Since you're working at home I'd be as nude as possible underneath, remove PPE outside and controlled as you can.

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fordp t1_jabb2oq wrote

Definitely shave and the best DIY leak test you can get on that mask

There is no known minimum exposure to Asbestos for mesothelioma!

Look into asbestos abatement / sample asbestos abatement protocols for an idea of what needs to be done.

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jtablerd t1_jaaf8o0 wrote

Re reading your original post I would demo as little as possible, do you have to pull the whole ceiling?

Was the soffit added later? Maybe when HVAC was put in or last kitchen reno? Lil weird to see a proper lathe & plaster ceiling with a soffit

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threwthelookinggrass OP t1_jaahgom wrote

I think I could just patch the hole I made in the soffit and just forget about the second ceiling. I mainly want to get rid of the soffit but it’d be nice to reclaim the height and fix the insulation.

There’s no hvac, plumbing, exhaust in the false ceiling. The pictures I linked are between the false ceiling and the plaster ceiling. The false ceiling ends where the soffit begins if that makes sense. They didn’t drywall wall to wall, only up to where they started the soffit.

https://i.imgur.com/DMhWvEH.jpg

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jtablerd t1_jaajckt wrote

I would very honestly recommend that you don't open that any further and patch the hole, I'm sorry...that (definitely) lead substrate is so unstable that if I ran into that at my own (1912) house - I'd set down my tools and set a 20-30k budget to deal with it (which would be pulling the whole ceiling+ but still wouldn't be lead abatement). And for that kind of money I'd deal with the stupid ass soffit and spend it elsewhere. It's totally possible and legally you can tear that shit up as a homeowner but I wouldn't touch it were it mine... Just my $0.02... I'm sorry
If you are hellbent or if you have any other lead questions happy to advise you how to do as safely as possble but don't.

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threwthelookinggrass OP t1_jaalmun wrote

Again I really appreciate your insight. I got a lead guy coming by later this week to give me his opinion and I’ll get my asbestos guy back to give me his. I just want to make sure the thing is as safe as can be structurally and from a lead/asbestos perspective. I’d hate for shit to start falling down onto the false ceiling.

It really pisses me off that A) some fucker did 90% of the job by smashing up the walls and converting them to drywall but left the last 10% for the next guy and B) they didn’t take the drywall ceiling wall to wall and then add the dumbass soffit.

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jtablerd t1_jaaoh40 wrote

Yeah it's fucked a, b, and c is my professional opinion but I'm not on site or actually giving a professional opinion. I'm so glad you're consulting w folks local to make sure it's all safe... Most folks dgaf. I've been at it professionally for almost 20 and only screaming about lead about ten years ago when I exposed a kid and it got pretty real

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jtablerd t1_jaak2hi wrote

A bit of insight on what I see in this photo - there's a calcimine coating as well as lead paint (you can test it for lead for kicks, calcimine is less harmful - used to be used as a washable coating for ceilings etc when we burned coal or wood inside) - the calcimine is the unstable coating (if you have any other old ceilings in your house that aren't covered they may develop a pattern like this but on a way lesser scale as they're coated more recently). The instability of those ceiling coatings means that it will all come off.. In very small and particulate pieces.

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threwthelookinggrass OP t1_jaalwhu wrote

Rest of the house has original height ceiling, some sort of texture, and has been recently painted. Doesn’t look anything like that.

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zilch839 t1_jab539p wrote

You can get cancer from smoking one cigarette. You're not going to get cancer from smoking one cigarette. Both comments are basically true. That is why we're less concerned about homeowners dealing with lead then we are professionals. A carpenter or a plumber or a demolition worker is going to be exposed to a thousand times more dangerous things than someone that remodels 10 houses in their lifetime. Enough so that we need to take measures to protect. A little lead paint in your body at the age of 30 is probably not going to kill you. In fact, not even close.

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