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All Around The House

Thoughts and Advice from the experts on Improving your existing Home.
Tags >> Green Building

New regulations on Lead-Based Paint

Posted by: BRENNEMAN & PAGENSTECHER on Apr 23, 2010

Let the Sun Shine In

The use of lead-based paint in home application was banned in the U.S. in 1978. Prior to this, lead was commonly added to paint as it increased the durability of the paint, shortened drying time, and helped the paint resist moisture and corrosion. As of April 2010, all contractors that work in a potential lead-contaminated environment must be certified by the EPA to do so.

Brenneman & Pagenstecher were among the first in the Washington Area to achieve EPA Lead Certification.

If you’re considering remodeling an older home, you should be aware of the dangers of possible lead poisoning due to exposure to lead-based paint. Remodeling activities, such as sanding or removal of lead-based paints, can create dangerous dust and paint chips. Ingestion and inhalation are the most common ways for lead to enter the body.

Lead poisoning can lead to permanent developmental and behavioral problems in children who are exposed at ages younger than six, but it affects the health of adults as well. Even a small amount of lead in your system can lead to a wide variety of health issues, such as reproductive problems, high blood pressure, kidney failure, and convulsions. Pregnant women can transfer lead to their unborn child. Even pets are susceptible to lead poisoning.

If you aren’t sure about the lead content of the paint in your home, there are several steps you can take to find out. If your home is old enough, you may just want to assume that the paint is lead-based. If your home was built before 1940, there’s an 87% chance that it contains lead. A building constructed between 1940 and 1960 has a 69% chance of containing lead, and a building built between 1960 and 1978 has only a 24% chance. Lead test kits, which are available at your local hardware store, can be used to determine the lead content of existing paint. Make sure the test you purchase has been approved by the EPA. Another option is to hire a certified inspector to determine which areas of your home contain lead-based paint. While work is being done, be mindful of your family’s exposure to lead. Consider the area where work is being done off limits or stay somewhere else temporarily.

  • Do not enter and exit your home through work areas.
  • Ensure that work areas are entirely sealed off from the rest of the house, including ductwork.
  • Turn off heating and air conditioning.
  • Securely cover furniture that can’t be moved.
  • Ensure a thorough cleanup.

If you have lead paint in your home, be sure to work with a certified contractor to ensure proper removal. Ask to see their certification. Before work begins, review plans with your contractor on how they plan to confine dust to the work areas and ensure proper cleanup after the work is completed.

Know the facts before you start. Get more information by calling 1-800-424-LEAD, or visit www.epa.gov/lead.

 

 


 

Adding Space without Adding Space

Posted by: Michael Ullrich on Jul 30, 2009

            In the current economy, and with growing awareness of green concepts, it seems the desire for "big" houses is on the decline.  This gives architects and remodelers an exciting opportunity and challenge: to make smaller houses live "large".

          To me, a house should be tailored so that every square inch has purpose and usefulness in the daily life of its inhabitants.  This concept is critically important in smaller homes.  In the next couple of blogs, I will discuss different ideas and methodologies to customize your home, and maximize the utility of its space.

Repurposing under utilized space:

          I thought I would start with an example (my own home); I had a formal dining room that we used 2-3 times a year at best.  I came to realize that we were wasting this valuable square footage in our home, so I repurposed the room.  Installing a wall of built-ins, I created a space for the family computer, with a mixture of concealed storage and bookcase / display shelves.  I took the leaves out of the dining room table so it would comfortably seat 4 (previously it seated 8-10) and repositioned it against a wall in the room to maintain natural circulation paths.  The remaining 4 chairs were dispersed into other parts of the house.  The dining room is now used daily for craft projects with the kids, for surfing the net on the computer, or for browsing through an ever growing stack of magazines.  The 2-3 times a year we need it for formal dining; with a few minutes of straightening up and minor rearrangement of the furnishing, it still serves its original purpose, and the new built-ins are perfect for serving.

           I added 168 square feet of useful space to my home without changing its footprint.  Repurposing a room is a great way to reclaim the under utilized spaces within your home.  In my case, the combination of formal dining and a library / office space made perfect sense. If you have a space like this in your home, maybe its time to stop thinking about what it is, and start thinking about what else it could be.

 

Check back in for future installments of "Adding space without adding space"

Sense of Scale

Posted by: Michael Ullrich on Apr 6, 2009

Scale - no, I am not talking about that thing we all dread stepping onto in our bathroom or at the gym.  I am talking about proportion and the spatial qualities of an object or entity in relationship to its surroundings.  Scale is measurable, but more importantly it has a sensory component.  When you walk into a room, how do you feel?  Does something seem off?  Maybe the windows are too small, the room is too narrow, and the couch blocks circulation paths.  Everything around us acts to define scale, and therefore, has an affect on our sense of it.

If a room feels too big; architectural treatment of the ceiling and floor planes might be incorporated to create different zones within the space.  If a room feels too small; large window openings and strategic removal of vertical wall surfaces offer new views and a sense of openness. 

Scale can also establish a hierarchy and create focal points.  Like a road map, inhabitants and guests are lead by these architectural cues, and drawn through the spaces of a home.  Proper understanding and manipulation of scale informs every decision that goes into a successful design.

That room you walked into earlier... the one that seemed a bit off.  Imagine how differently it would feel with large windows that flood the space with sunlight.  A boxed bay widens the room creating a niche for the couch, restoring the natural circulation paths into and through the room.  Adjustments like this have the power to modify your perception of a space, redefining its scale.

Thinking outside of the Box

Posted by: Michael Ullrich on Mar 22, 2009

Welcome to my blog.  I am Michael Ullrich, AIA, an architect dedicated to residential design and remodeling in Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia.  I look forward to sharing my thoughts with you…

“Thinking outside of the Box”

    It seems everywhere I turn; I am constantly reminded of the downturn in the current economy.  Instead of talking about how bad things are, I would instead like to share a bit of optimism.  I see this downturn in the market as a great opportunity for architects to be “CREATIVE”.  Exquisite design and quality construction should not be limited only to projects with unlimited budgets.  This requires a concerted effort from professionals within the architecture and construction industry.

    We must task ourselves with effectively guiding clients through the design process, and thoroughly explaining how every decision affects their budget.  We must challenge our own preconceptions about design, looking for economical solutions that do not sacrifice intent.  These challenges do not hinder us; instead they fuel creativity and lead us to superior design solutions.

We must also use trade professionals and the ever expanding web to search out cost effective materials and products that do not sacrifice quality.  This again, provides us with a great opportunity.  Simple materials, when detailed and installed properly, can produce magazine quality results without breaking a client’s budget.

    Opportunity is all around us. With effort and ingenuity we can prosper and improve ourselves and our homes… if we just “think outside of the box”.