Lead Test Kit Volunteer Needed

[Silvertree]

Remodel Crazy will be working full time to evaluate what the Lead Law means to us and the homeowners we work for.

There are tools and kits for testing the presence of lead on our jobsites.

Kits (swab types) retail from $8 to $20 and provide 4 to 8 test opportunities.

There are electronic tools for doing the same.

If anyone is interested in researching this please PM me or anyone at RC and maybe you could do the research and write about what you discover.

Paul

[ChrWright]

Only one of the off-the-shelf stick test kits is approved for use under RRP.

What kind of test did you have in mind?

[Silvertree]

I think the approved kit is the Abotex?

I think finding articles and reading between the lines might help. Saying only one kit is approved is good info.


The electronic tools would make a great article, how much, which approved companies use what? Can anyone buy them?

I think this is a good time to start.

[dan-o]

I need to check my notes from the certification class. The instructor and I discussed my becoming a Lead Assessor. Aside from a fairly intensive training requirement and 70hr apprenticeship (MA law), he warned me about it being capital intensive due to insurance and tool costs. Apparently, the IR gun they use costs $15k+.

I also recall him saying the approved stick tests are identical to what can be store bought currently. The only difference is that the pro/certified product includes the lead-tainted confirmation/test card you saw/will see during the certification training.

[SLS-Construction]

Paul - A CLR can only use the one approved swab kit and save the results (the test strip) - the other machines are reserved for inspectors / abatement professionals only. In fact sending paint chips in to a lab is not under the CLR purview

The only authorized test kit (at this moment) is called leadcheck & it has been tested out by NIST & other government agencies - the results surely blow away what the critics are saying, but why let facts get in the way

http://www.leadcheck.com/3rdParty.pdf (http://www.linkedin.com/redirect?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eleadcheck%2Ecom%2F 3rdParty%2Epdf&urlhash=hpIL)

[ChrWright]

For an extensive renovation involving plaster & drywall--it doesn't matter--the stick tests don't work.

What does it cost to bring in a lead assessor with the gun?

[Silvertree]

My instructor gave me the percentage of accuracy for the lead test swabs.

I got people saying Abotex is approved at 80% accurate and you got the leadcheck at 100% for readings 5 and over.

This is why we need to write about it in one dedicated spot.

Meetre is doing the article, if you would send him what you have.


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lead
Meet The X-MET3000TXR+ Handheld Lead Detector
By consumerist.com on August 29, 2007 4:09 PM 6407 views

In response to growing concerns about toxic levels of lead in paint and metal on children's toys, Oxford Instruments has developed a hand held electronic lead detector, a veritable rock boulder on the tracks of the Chinese Poison Train.

The X-MET3000TXR+ is a X-ray fluorescence scanner. By examining how much the x-ray excites the particles, it can identify an object's chemical structure. No word on price, but a tool like this can give more accurate readings than rub-on home-based test kits, and significantly faster determinations than waiting for lab test results. UPDATE: A reader says these will cost you about $30,000.00. Excellent, now the rich can make sure the silver spoons they're birthing their children with in their mouths are unleaded.

X-MET3000TXR+ for RoHS compliance screening and QC of different components and materials [Oxford Instruments via The Raw Feed]

[SLS-Construction]

The accuracy method is what the government mandated hoping to get past another single source vendor - aka swifter & leadcheck. Next years standard must be ???, which as I recall the leadcheck swab already meets. However as Chris stated, the test does not work on drywall or plaster. The only reason I could see for bringing in a specialist, is if all the trim came back negative & you really want to do a CYA.

[Bender]

Meetre,
I'll be working on a 100 yr old house this month and in the Spring when we start the exterior. Let me know if I can help.

[Meetre]

Meetre,
I'll be working on a 100 yr old house this month and in the Spring when we start the exterior. Let me know if I can help.

I may take you up on that in a few weeks. I've got some research to do first, and I do have a few houses I can sneak into that are old enough to "possibly" contain lead, but I won't turn another one down. I'll PM latter this week.

[vpllc]

Are you sure the tests will not work on plaster or drywall? They never mentioned in in my certification class and on the lead check site it says only to make sure dust is removed from plaster.

[ChrWright]

Are you sure the tests will not work on plaster or drywall? They never mentioned in in my certification class and on the lead check site it says only to make sure dust is removed from plaster.


http://www.healthyhomestraining.org/RRP/LeadCheck.htm

The kit may not be used on paint on plaster and drywall due to chemical interferences.

[dan-o]

Are you sure the tests will not work on plaster or drywall? They never mentioned in in my certification class and on the lead check site it says only to make sure dust is removed from plaster.

The test kits may produce incorrect results on drywall, plaster or certain paint colors. The procedure is to either assume lead is present or have the paint tested via lab analysis or by a lead assessor's XRF testing.

This info is paraphrased from my Connor Institute RRP course manual, page 3-7. It was mentioned during the hands-on test kit procedure of the course.

[vpllc]

This is from the Lead Check site:

Sulfates: Most commonly found in plaster, Sulfates can block the color development on the test surface and LeadCheck® Swab tip. Cleaning the surface to remove plaster dust is usually all that is required.

Nothing is mentioned concerning drywall at all.

I wish they could keep this stuff straight for us. I was trained on Dec. 21 and I am already behind.

[ChrWright]

This is from the Lead Check site:

Sulfates: Most commonly found in plaster, Sulfates can block the color development on the test surface and LeadCheck® Swab tip. Cleaning the surface to remove plaster dust is usually all that is required.

Nothing is mentioned concerning drywall at all.

I wish they could keep this stuff straight for us. I was trained on Dec. 21 and I am already behind.


I know. There's a lot of conflicting info floating around. They specifically taught in my class (Connor Institute) that the lead sticks do NOT work with drywall or plaster and if your work included disturbance of those materials you had to assume lead was present and proceed with lead safe practices.

[vpllc]

I may have a job coming up for a friend that will be done before April, but is a 1974 house. There is a lot of wallpaper removal which removes the paint in areas down to the face paper on the drywall. So, paint is disturbed. Plus there will be some significant sanding/scraping on painted textured drywall to remove the texture. Clean up costs to assume lead would cost at least 1,500 for labor. Testing 300-400 for XRF. They have young kids, so I want to test it at least.

[ChrWright]

I may have a job coming up for a friend that will be done before April, but is a 1974 house. There is a lot of wallpaper removal which removes the paint in areas down to the face paper on the drywall. So, paint is disturbed. Plus there will be some significant sanding/scraping on painted textured drywall to remove the texture. Clean up costs to assume lead would cost at least 1,500 for labor. Testing 300-400 for XRF. They have young kids, so I want to test it at least.

You painters definitely get it the worst with RRP, IMHO. (next to the window replacement contractors).

To me it looks impossible to do a decent job on an exterior repaint, on an old house, while following the practices in the RRP rule.

[dan-o]

Test the paint/varnish on the trim. If is tests positive you're balls-in anyway.
Otherwise, have the HO pay for a lab test or assessor. You should be able to sell that as the savings could be significant.

How are you coming to the $1500 clean-up cost?

[SLS-Construction]

vpllc - nice catch on the leadcheck, I guess one of us will have to call them to confirm. I was taught the same thing in class as Chris - diffrent vendor doing the teaching also.

May I suggest you read this - LEAD FAQ’s – To Test or Not to Test – that is the question (http://blog.sls-construction.com/?p=443), and let the customers decide. That $1100 projected savings may go up in smoke if lead is present in more ways than one

[vpllc]

The 1500 is just an estimate based upon the clean up procedures from the class. Will it be close enough, who know since it would be the first time I will have implemented the steps.

[dan-o]

The 1500 is just an estimate based upon the clean up procedures from the class. Will it be close enough, who know since it would be the first time I will have implemented the steps.

Understood. Just wondering how many days/rooms you're estimating etc.
I've got an exterior quote for a multi-building pre-78 school coming up and am pulling numbers out of my ass as well.