Chips / Flaking in Lead Paintwork - Advice Needed!

[Basil_the_Brush]

Hi,
I have a mid 1940s house so am assuming that the wooden skirtings, door frames etc are likely to contain lead...

Should I be worried that many areas have chips exposing bare wood underneath and a few areas are flaky, potentially exposing my family to lead? (I used to think that as long as you didn't eat the flakes you'd be fine, but it seems that disturbed flakes will generate lead dust, but not really sure if it would be significant.)

I originally thought that you could simply paint over these areas (as the original owner has done in some areas). However, after reading up on this it seems that this doesn't actually encapsulate the lead and you need to use encapsulating paint (?), but only on areas which are entirely free from flakes and chips! Ugh!

Ultimately, I would like to replace the wood, but is there anything I can do to keep these areas safe without resorting to stripping back to bare wood and repainting?

Any ideas?

Many thanks!

 

[Lower]

A few flakes will not hurt you.

just paint over the top.

 

[Basil_the_Brush]

Thanks for your reply, Lower.

That's just what I thought I should do, but everything I've read says that painting over the top of flaky / chipped lead paint won't encapsulate it!

 

[Lower]

Thanks for your reply, Lower.

That's just what I thought I should do, but everything I've read says that painting over the top of flaky / chipped lead paint won't encapsulate it!

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/advice-on-lead-paint-in-older-homes

If its flaking off, encapsulating won't work because it will continue flaking off, but if you carefully (wearing a mask and hoover up etc) scrape off the loose stuff and then paint over the top, you're fine.

 

[Basil_the_Brush]

Thanks, Lower... I think you're right!