France in Focus

As you can see elsewhere, I am one of those uneducated numpties that doesn't watch French TV, so having sat through a bit of Sick Drawbridge and his effervescent wife's program, concerning on going roof repairs on the moneypit chateau is was a little surprised to see him putting a great dollop of lead flashing on the top of one of his towers. Years ago I was told that you could not use lead like that in France it had to be Zinc, anyone enlighten me.

@ Hughnique, Dick Strawbridge got his ideas perhaps from another renovation: Le château de Versailles se coiffe de 150 tonnes de plomb. Elsewhere they are hunting for micrograms of lead in, or under, old layers of paint, with very sophisticated equipment. Bringing expensive laboratory type of measurements of ten years ago within reach of those qualified today to identify the wrongdoers.

Dunno about zinc being 'preferred' over lead in france but I know what I'd prefer.

My company once worked on what was said to be one of Henry 8th's hunting lodges where the original sand cast lead roof covering needed some repairs due mainly to expansion/contraction problems probably not considererd 500 years ago.
Given the age of the lead it was mainly in remakably good condition compared to the zinc guttering & flashings on my french house's roof which needed complete renewal after 80 years.

I think you have been misinformed, here is a selection of lead sold at point p
https://www.pointp.fr/c/toitures-en-plo ... ig_2002898

More about lead: it's one of the many items in the diagnostic obligatoire when selling a house, the official summary. As far as I know the focus is on every object with a painted surface, see this video.

Whenever I hear about the old lead based paint paranoia I get an image of some toddler trying to chew the paint off an old door and becoming ill.

Hotrodder wrote: ↑Tue Nov 30, 2021 12:17 pm Whenever I hear about the old lead based paint paranoia I get an image of some toddler trying to chew the paint off an old door and becoming ill.

Maybe that indicates a lack of something in their diet?

Suggestion for a new musical: " Toddler on the Roof ".

The problem with lead paint on walls and woodwork is not some nipper chewing the surface but rather the paint flaking or being sanded down and fine particles ending up everywhere - including on food, plates, serving dishes, saucepans etc.. Lead sheet (as in flashing) is far less of a problem.

So when the inspector pokes his whatsit at the wall and says there is lead based paint two layers below it implies what remedial action? Burning it off would likely produce toxic smoke. Sanding it off would require dressing up like an astronaut with forced air supply. Chemical stripping, ditto.