What safety precautions should I take when removing lead paint from trim in my NB home?

If you have confirmed or suspect lead paint on trim in your New Brunswick home — which is extremely likely in any home built before 1978 — you should hire a professional with lead-safe work practices rather than doing it yourself, especially if children under six or pregnant women are present.

Lead paint was used extensively in Canadian homes until the late 1970s. In NB, the older housing stock in Saint John, Fredericton, Moncton, and countless smaller communities means hundreds of thousands of homes have lead paint on trim, doors, and window frames. Lead is only dangerous when it becomes dust or chips — intact lead paint simply painted over with a fresh topcoat poses minimal risk.

If you are proceeding with removal yourself — on a property with no children or pregnant women present — Health Canada and WorkSafeNB guidelines require:

Containment: Seal off the work area completely with 6-mil poly sheeting, covering floors, furniture, and any HVAC vents.

Respiratory protection: Use a properly fitted P100 half-face respirator — not an N95 surgical mask.

Wet methods: Always wet the surface before scraping or sanding. Never dry-sand lead paint. Use a heat gun at low temperature (below 500°C) if heat stripping is necessary — open flame or propane torches are never acceptable.

Disposal: Collect all scrapings in sealed, heavy poly bags. Contact your regional service commission for guidance on proper disposal of lead paint waste — it is classified as hazardous material in NB.

Personal decontamination: Shower and change clothes before leaving the work area. Never eat, drink, or smoke in a lead work zone.

Professional lead abatement in NB for a typical room’s worth of trim typically costs $800-2,500 depending on scope. That cost is money well spent when the alternative is exposing your family to lead dust.

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