At Weinmann Painting, our priority is not only to deliver beautiful, long-lasting results with a fresh coat of paint, but also to keep your family, your home, and your property protected through each phase of your exterior project.
It’s very important that homes with lead paint in Portland be treated properly during prep and painting to ensure the highest levels of safety. Our teams work on lots of gorgeous older homes in the Portland area, which means that some of the most common questions we get from homeowners are about how we work with lead paint.
So let’s dive into some of those questions here!
How do I know if my house has lead paint?
If your home was built prior to 1978, as the many of the beautiful historic homes in our Portland neighborhoods were, there is a strong possibility that it was originally painted with lead base paint.
Even with newer coats of paint on your home, peeling, flaking, or bubbling areas of the siding can indicate that those original lead base layers of paint or primer are breaking down and releasing from the siding. This can be a clear sign that lead paint is present.
You can purchase a lead test kit at most paint supply and home repair stores, but our crews treat any project on homes built before 1978 as lead projects to ensure the highest levels of safety.
Is peeling or chipping paint always a sign of lead paint?
Not necessarily. Paint can peel, crack, or chip for many reasons, including age, moisture intrusion, poor surface preparation, or normal weathering, especially in Portland’s wet climate.
However, if your home was built before 1978, peeling paint should be treated with extra caution because lead-based paint may be present in the older layers underneath. The only way to know for certain whether lead is present is through testing.
Our crews assume that homes built before 1978 may contain lead paint and follow lead-safe work practices accordingly to protect both your family and our team.
Do painters need a special certification to work on homes with lead paint?
Yes! Federal EPA regulations require contractors performing renovation, repair, or painting work that disturbs painted surfaces in homes built before 1978 to be trained and certified in lead-safe work practices. This is especially important for residential painting companies working on historic homes in Portland.
This certification ensures crews understand how to properly contain work areas, minimize dust, handle debris, and perform thorough cleanup procedures that reduce the risk of lead exposure.
We are a lead-certified painting company and trusted residential Portland painting contractor, and follow lead-safe practices on all projects with homes built before 1978. We want to make sure that homeowners feel confident that the work our team does is being completed safely and responsibly.
How do your crews follow EPA lead safety guidelines?
Our crews are all EPA-certified to remove lead-base paint, which means we follow all EPA guidelines as part of the prep we do on all older homes, practicing safety and care throughout every phase of the project.
We focus on careful, controlled preparation before painting begins. This can include hand scraping, sanding with HEPA-filtered equipment, and stabilizing existing paint to create a firm surface for new paint to adhere to.
We also take steps to contain the work area, minimize any lead dust, use plastic sheets to collect scraped paint chips, and complete a thorough cleanup throughout the project.
Can my family stay in the house during the prep work if my house has lead paint?
In most cases, yes! Especially for exterior projects.
Because our team follows lead-safe practices and contains the work area, homeowners are typically able to remain in the home during the project. We do recommend keeping windows closed near active work areas and being mindful of children and pets while prep work is underway.
If any special considerations come up, we’ll always communicate clearly so you can make the best decision for your household.
Is lead paint dangerous if it is covered by new paint?
Generally, no. Lead paint that is in good condition and fully covered by newer layers of paint is typically not considered a hazard.
The concern arises when lead-based paint begins to deteriorate through peeling, chipping, cracking, or excessive wear. When this happens, lead-containing dust and paint chips can be released.
One of the most effective ways to manage lead paint for homes undergoing exterior painting projects is through a process called encapsulation, where existing lead paint is properly prepared and covered with new paint. This helps seal the older layers and prevent exposure while protecting the home.
Will all lead paint be removed from my house during the project?
During a typical project, the loose or peeling paint will be scraped down to a firm surface, then the area will be primed to help stabilize the substrate.
We do not remove all the lead paint, unless specifically requested by a client. As long as the original layers of paint are intact, the lead isn’t exposed and is not a danger to your home and family.
If you are wanting to remove all the lead paint from your home, we can help you explore options for stripping the paint off your current siding or even replacing all older siding on the home.
How is cleanup handled after lead paint removal?
Cleanup is one of the most important parts of any lead-safe painting project. Throughout the job, our crews use plastic sheeting and containment methods to capture paint chips and debris before they can spread around your property.
At the end of each workday and again at project completion, all debris is carefully collected and removed. Surfaces within the work area are cleaned using EPA-approved methods, including HEPA-filtered vacuums as needed.
Our goal is to leave your property clean, safe, and ready for you to enjoy, while ensuring that all lead-related materials are disposed of responsibly.
If you have questions about Portland residential painting and lead paint safety, give our office a call!
Why Choose Weinmann Painting?
Detailed Estimate
Daily Communication
Thorough Preparation
Meticulous Painting
Weinmann Painting uses only high-quality products from reputable companies; we apply two coats of paint as stipulated in the manufacturer's warranty, making sure to protect floors and furniture from overspray and drips. Our skilled craftsman are experts in all types of interior work, from walls and ceilings to stairs, trim work, and cabinets.