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