House seven of the Elmwood project. Bob investigates the methods used to remove lead paint from the porch columns.

Cole Stanton from Fiberlock joins Bob to talk about Child Guard, his company's encapsulating coating for lead-based paint. Lead encapsulating is an alternative to stripping lead-based paint. It's a safer option to removal as it doesn't generate the same volume of lead dust and it's far less expensive. It comes in gloss, or satin or an eggshell that's flat. To prepare the surface of the window trim, Cole has taken a few of the lead-safe wipes and removed a lot of dust from the trim. The wipes are presoaked in TSP (Tri-Sodium Phosphate), a heavy-duty cleaner, which is good at solubilizing and lifting lead dust. Because the coating of Child Guard should be applied at 7/1000s of an inch thick dry, it should easily hide nicks and bruises in the woodwork. It is easy to measure the thickness of a coat of paint while it's wet using a wet film thickness gauge. Measuring is important because the encapsulants are tested and certified to meet the requirements for making lead paint safe in all fifty states but only at a certain thickness. Child Guard is a Thermoplastic Elastomeric Copolymer. It's water-based and cleans off with soap and water. To use the gauge, Cole puts it into the still wet coating and then removes it checking that there is a little dab of coating on the proper tooth. Lastly he applies a second coat to get it to its final thickness. One big problem with lead paint is that it tastes sweet and little kids sometimes go up to a window sill and mouth it. To discourage this, Child Guard has an anti-ingestant called Bitrix in it, which tastes horrible.

Here s another great tip from BobVila.com. The American Lung Association reports that the death rate from lung disease has risen faster in the last decade than any other major disease. Countless days of school and work are missed due to respiratory illnesses every year. The EPA ranks poor indoor air quality as the fourth largest environmental threat to our country. Some of the worst polluters of the air you breathe hit right where you live. Biological particles like mold, animal dander, dust mites, bacteria and viruses occur naturally in substances. But in homes that aren t properly ventilated, or when filters aren t regularly cleaned, their concentrations can build up and make them into major irritants. Products of combustion from heating systems, gas appliances, fireplaces and wood stoves include poisonous and carcinogenic particles as well as carbon monoxide and nitrous oxide. And tobacco smoke has proven to be the last thing you want in your indoor air. Make sure your appliances are properly vented, install carbon monoxide detectors and ban smoking in your house to keep your family safe. Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, have also been linked to lung disease. They off-gas from a huge range of building products like engineered lumber, adhesives, carpets, paint and upholstery. But did you know they can also come from dry-cleaned clothing, synthetic lawn and garden fertilizers and pesticides? Other harmful chemicals can off-gas and accumulate from seemingly innocent cleaning products, air fresheners, candles, even personal care products. The best solution is to use natural alternatives wherever you can. Believe it or not, airborne lead dust and asbestos are still causing health problems. If you suspect your home contains exposed lead paint or asbestos that s been disturbed, get a professional inspection immediately. Find out more at BobVila.com: the ultimate home improvement web site! 2008 BobVila.com

Bob reviews some of the work done on the house so far. The house was built in 1921 and the exterior stucco walls are in good shape overall. The woodwork, however, was in bad shape as it is 80 year-old wood combined with New England winters. Most of the wood trim was repaired using western red cedar. The gutters on the gambrel roof were also replaced. The porch columns were repaired after suffering insect damage. These stone columns were filled with concrete by mason Kevin Latham. Some new stucco was added where the back door was removed and replaced with a new slider and small window. To add this stucco wall, wire lath is placed over felt paper and plywood. Then a brown coat is added and allowed to cure before the finish coat goes on. Fergus Cullen of CertaPro Painters reviews the issues involved with painting the house. Different parts of the home's exterior are older than others. The old stucco is in good shape, while the new stucco needs to be primed and painted using a couple of coats. The window uses a couple of different materials. The frame has been replaced with Azek, which does not need to be painted but will be painted to match the rest of the trim. The Azek is especially effective in areas where there is a lot of moisture and rot may be a problem. The natural wood surrounding the window will also be primed and painted to match everything else. In some areas the old paint is peeling off in sheets and "alligatoring" or creating check marks in the paint. The old paint used in these sections is likely lead paint and does not have the flexibility New England winter and summer temperature fluctuations. All the areas with chipping and peeling paint will be scraped down, the edges sanded, and then primed. When complete, the texture will be retained but there will be no chipping or peeling involved. Some shingles on the lip of the roof have sustained significant water damage. The damaged shingles are replaced and painted with a solid color stain. This stain looks like paint but penetrates into the wood. There will be a little difference in texture between the old shingles and the new, which comes with having an older home. The most important thing to remember when painting at the end of the season is overnight temperatures. Painting is possible as long as the overnight temperatures are above 35 degrees Fahrenheit. The paint must be given time to cure at the proper temperatures. Painting is also not possible during times of high humidity, which is a problem that plagues hot, humid climates in the South.

…decision you will be happy with for many years to come. You know you can count on Sears to complete your home improvement project with high quality materials, workmanship and installation. And by calling Sears you know you don’t have to…

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