Question from Hannah Ellen
Hi Debra,
I am considering installing new siding on my home, partly for aesthetic reasons and partly for health reasons.
Currently my home has wood shingles that are covered with aluminum siding on 3 sides and vinyl siding on the fourth.
I don’t love the way it looks and would love to replace with fiber cement boards or wood.
Partly I would like to get rid of the aluminum siding for EMF reasons.
However, I assume that the wood shingles underneath have lead paint on them, though the lead inspector was not able to verify this because they were completely covered. So I am trying to weigh risks – some EMF issues with keeping the house as is vs. the potential disturbance of lead-painted shingles if they are removed.
We would certainly leave the house during the work and keep all windows closed tightly. However, with 2 children under the age of 6, I don’t take lead hazards lightly. Any thoughts and advice would be much appreciated as always 🙂
Thanks!
Debra’s Answer
What I would do is have someone remove one or two pieces of the aluminum siding so the lead inspector can really see what is underneath. Lead-removal professionals are supposed to remove lead in a safe way that doesn’t spread it around the surrounding environment.
So get more information before you make a decision.
Alternatively, if you have meters installed on top of the aluminum siding, you might consider leaving it there for a bit of protection when dual response “smart” meters are installed in your neck of the woods.