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Frequently Asked Questions
Table Of Contents
Sandblasting
How
would I know if my house needs sandblasting?
How do you stop the sand from coming into my house?
How long will it take to sandblast a typical house?
What do you do with the sand?
How do I know if the contractor is licensed?
Can I rent
the equipment and do my own sandblasting?
How would I
know if the contractor I hire has insurance?
Lead
Why should I test for
lead?
Where should I test
for lead?
How do I test for lead?
How can I tell if the
lead is hazardous?
Can I use a lead
test kit?
If I find lead,
what should I do next?
How will I know if my house needs sandblasting?
If your house is peeling usually that is a sign that it may need to be sandblasted. If it is only peeling in a few spots you may be able to wire brush it Another option would be to High pressure wash it.. Only by going out to the premises can we determine what needs to be done. Contact us for a free estimate
Back to Top of PageHow do you stop the sand from coming into my house?
We cover and tape window and door openings. We also enclose the scaffold in order to minimize the sand from getting into greenery and adjacent areas and to help protect you neighbors property.
How long does it take to sandblast a typical house?
In the Bay Area, different districts have different style and size homes, so there is no "typical" house. For a Sunset area home it usually takes a day to remove the paint provided there is no under coating. For some homes the preparation takes longer that the actual sandblasting. Factors that determined the length of time spent sandblasting depend on:
1. the size of the house.
2. how many coats of paint had been applied.
3. How tight the paint is on the building.
4. If there is a rubber coating under the paint. In some cases the contractor
will not know that
until he starts to sandblast.
What do you do with the left over sand?
After we sandblast, we sweep up all the sand that we can, usually about 95%, put it in bags and dispose of it. We then hose down the sidewalk, that takes care of any sand that is left. Sand may get into the flower beds or shrubbery but it wont hurt anything and will usually mix in with the soil
Can I rent the equipment and do my own sandblasting?
Sandblasting takes a lot of practice. You have to know how close you need to be to the surface, how much pressure to use and how long to stay on the same area in order to get a uniform pattern. To some people it may look easy, but with 100 lbs of pressure in your hand, if you don't know what your are doing you can be injured as well as your property being damaged.
How do I know if a contractor is licensed?
You can ask for his license number, or call the California State Contractors License Board at 1-800-321-2752. On the internet the address is, www.cslb.ca.gov/ .
How would I know if the contractor I hire has insurance?
All you have to do is ask your contractor. He will be more than happy to provide you with a copy of Workman's Compensation and Liability Insurance.
You should consider testing for lead if there are children in your home and...
 | your house
was built before 1978, or
| your house is
near a freeway or busy roadway where leaded gasoline and its exhaust may
have polluted the soil with lead. | |
| your house
has peeling or chipping paint;
| your house
has bare soil in the yard where children play;
| you plan to
repaint, remodel or renovate the house;
| a child
living in the house has had a blood lead test result of 10 µg/dl or higher
(micrograms per deciliter); or
| your house
was built before 1950 -- such homes almost always have some lead-based
paint. | |
| federal laws require the seller to give you an informational pamphlet and to tell you about any known lead hazards in the home. (These federal laws also give home buyers 10 days to inspect for lead. The law does not require landlords to allow a renter to inspect for lead.) |
| Contact the National Lead Information Center at 1-800-424-LEAD for information and materials about real estate disclosure laws and for the EPA pamphlet Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home. |
You should also test places where you plan to repaint or remodel. Test several different spots. If you are testing paint, test each different paint color. If you are testing soil, test different bare soil areas.
Some good places to test for lead-based paint are...
| window frames
and sills
| doors, door
jambs and thresholds
| trim and
siding
| kitchen
cabinets
| painted
children's furniture
| baseboards | |
| around the
foundation of the house
| where
children play
| unpaved
pathways
| under windows
or walls with peeling or chipping paint
| where pets
play or rest | |
| Get a laboratory analysis: For $25 - $50, you can have a paint chip or soil sample tested by an accredited laboratory and get reliable results in 24 - 48 hours. Call the laboratory for details before you mail them your samples. Keep a sketch or list of the locations where you take samples. |
 | Taking A Paint Sample: Tape a clean, plastic sandwich bag underneath some paint you want to test. Use a clean, sharp chisel or scraper to scrape a tablespoon size amount of paint into the bag. Try to scrape off all the layers of paint, not just the top coats -- lead is often in the bottom layer of paint. Try not to scrape off any of the wood or plaster that is under the paint. Seal the bag and label it. On the label, write where the sample was taken (example: Sample #1 - kitchen window sill). Wash your hands and the scraper with soap and water after each paint sample you take. |
| Taking A Soil Sample: Using a clean trowel or large spoon, scoop about half a cup of soil from the top inch of the bare soil you want to test. Try not to scoop up plant leaves, roots, or other large pieces of debris. If there are paint chips in the soil, it is OK to include them in the sample. Place the soil into a clean, plastic sandwich bag. Seal the bag and label it. On the label, write where the sample was taken (example: Sample # 2 - under children's swing set). Wash your hands and the spoon with soap and water after each soil sample you take. |
| Hire a
Certified Inspector/Assessor:
You can hire a
State-certified
inspector/assessor
to inspect your home for lead. Ask the
inspector/assessor to write you a risk assessment report that will tell you
if the lead in your home is hazardous and what options you have for dealing
with it.
The certified inspector/assessor can test your paint with an XRF (x-ray fluorescence) machine, for immediate results. He or she can also send paint, dust and soil samples to a laboratory for testing. It usually costs about $200 - $500 to test parts of your house and can cost $500 or more for the whole house. Soil testing costs an additional $100 - $200 depending on how large an area you have tested. Make sure the inspector/assessor gives you a sketch or a description of where paint and soil samples were taken. |
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Lead test results are only as good as your testing procedures. The results will not tell you about the lead content of painted surfaces or soil that you did not test. Hire a State-certified inspector/assessor to make sure you get accurate testing results.
Can I just use a lead test kit from a paint store?If you decide to use a lead test kit to test your paint, follow the directions on the package very carefully. Be sure to test the bottom layers of paint. To do this, use a sharp knife to cut a slanted notch through all the paint layers on the spot you want to test. Test all the layers of paint in the notch. Look for the color change indicated by the test kit.
If your house was built before 1978 and your lead test kit comes out negative (does not change color), you should have an accredited lab test the paint to make sure the lead test kit worked properly.
What should I do next? | Contact your
family doctor or your
local
health department
and get blood lead tests for your children who are 6
years of age or under.
| Find out
about everyday things you can do to prevent lead poisoning.
| Consider
hiring a
State-certified
lead inspector/assessor
to inspect your home for lead.
| Hire a
State-certified
lead contractor
to reduce the lead hazards in your home and yard.
| If you plan
to repaint or remodel your home, hire a State-certified lead contractor.
If you plan to do the work yourself, get the EPA's free how-to booklet, Reducing
Lead Hazards When
Remodeling Your Home and contact your local health
department to find out about safe work practices to prevent poisoning
yourself or your children with lead. | |
If you have any question
or comments please let us know
or contact CalOsha from which this lead information was taken.