Dealing with household disasters

Drop your cell phone in the toilet? How about a loose raccoon in the kitchen? What about 24-hour party people living next door. How to take care of everyday crises, from This Old House.

By Josh Garskof, This Old House magazine

The painter outside left a window open, and now there's lead-paint dust inside

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The painter outside left a window open, and now there's lead-paint dust inside

What to do: Move the kids out of the house until it's decontaminated, says Chicago pediatrician Helen Binns, a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics's Committee on Environmental Health. Take them to the doctor for a blood test to check for elevated lead levels.

Then vacuum up all debris with a HEPA vacuum and thoroughly wash all belongings, from bedding to toys to cookware. "The one thing that can really never be cleaned is the rugs," says Binns. "They should be removed and discarded."

How to keep this from happening to you: If your house was built before 1978, when the use of lead paint was banned, make sure your painter follows lead-safe techniques, says Martanaze Hancock, chief trainer at Atrium Environmental Health and Safety Services, which runs a lead-safe education program for painting contractors.

For exterior painting, these include sealing windows.

Home Inspection Nightmares IX