So, back in 2020, my family and I moved into our new home and, surprise surprise, we discovered we had a bit of an ant problem near the front door. We did the responsible thing and called in the professionals to deal with the carpenter ants. They sprayed the affected areas, and we thought all was well. Cut to the present day, and here’s the kicker – those areas where the spray was applied are now showing positive for lead. Yeah, you heard that right. The bottom 2-3 feet of the front door and the sprayed section of the vinyl siding surrounding it are all contaminated.
I did my own detective work using a flourospec to confirm the lead presence and then had a lead inspector swing by to double-check. Armed with the state’s list of approved contractors for lead removal, I reached out to several of them. But guess what? Three of them came over, checked out the situation, said they could fix it, and then poof! They vanished into thin air. It’s frustrating, to say the least, especially because I have young kids under 5 years old, and their safety is my top priority.
Now, the state authorities assured me that since the kids haven’t shown any signs of lead poisoning and there’s no ongoing investigation, I have the green light to tackle this issue myself. But here’s the thing – I’m pretty handy around the house, but I’m no pro contractor. I’m seriously considering just replacing the affected area myself. I mean, how hard could it be, right? But before I dive into this DIY project, I want to make sure I’m doing it correctly and safely.
I tried following one of the contractor’s advice by applying TSP and wiping down the area, but it was like trying to sweep dust under the rug – it didn’t really solve the problem, and the front porch was dusty again in no time. So, I’m on the hunt for resources to guide me on the best way to handle this lead issue on my own.
If you’ve been in a similar situation or have any expertise in DIY home improvement projects, I’d love to hear your advice. Hit me up with any tips, tricks, or resources that could help me tackle this lead contamination like a boss. It’s not the most glamorous project, but hey, anything for the safety of my little ones, right?