Peeling Paint on Pipes - how to get rid of?

Please be very careful about scraping and removing the paint. The oldest layers may be of an era when paint contained lead. I'm not sure about this, but I would think a gel-like paint remover would be best. You glop it on with a brush and it turns the old paint sort of squishy and you then scrape it off. You have to use chemical proof gloves (Home Depot has them) so you don't get chemical burns. You also have to protect everything nearby because that remover gel is pretty nasty. Ventilation is also key because the fumes are pretty intense.

Thanks Kyle, that is what I was afraid of. I think I might hire a handyman (esp b/c I have an infant in the house and dont want to risk doing this wrong and exposing her to possible lead paint).

Technologic: Maybe this is obvious but you should probably wait until the weather is warm and the heat is off to apply stripper (or to have a handyman apply stripper) to cut down on the fumes.

Lots of people like PeelAway for jobs like this. You apply the stripper and cover it with paper, which keeps the stripper active longer; the paint adheres somewhat to the paper when you remove it (or at least can be stripped away with a spatula in one messy lump). If you're doing the job yourself ask someone knowledgeable at the hardware store (or post on Brownstoner) to see which formulation of PeelAway (there are several) is best for your job.

Then be sure to repaint with heat-resistant primer and paint. I think they call it alkyd paint.

Thanks Miette!

A less messy option is to have someone build a box with a perforated metal vent around the pipes. Many neighborhood hardware/lumber stores will do this for you if you give them the dimensions. Ask one of the staff from your building install and paint.

A friend who's a high end designer taught me this trick and I used it on a heat pipe in my old bathroom. There's a special shiny metalic tape that I think conducts heat or something like that. I taped around the pipe, cutting pieces and taping it around, it looked really great after. There will be some wrinkling but it looks really good. If you ask at a nice hardware store they should know what you're talking about.

Silly maybe, but when the weather is warm, can you not take out the pipe and just have it cleaned outside the house? I know people are providing tips but I would still be scared to touch that thing inside...

I've also heard camel hide can be wrapped around the pipes. It's heat resistant and softer to the touch than aluminum foil. Not sure if its been sanctioned any any high end designers yet.

Have you considered those little animated guys that parachute in to the scene of your problem and make it like it never even happened?

Wad, if you go through the effort of removing the pipe why would you have it cleaned rather than replacing it with a new one? Are pipes really expensive?

Oh thanks guys, so many great options here! I am dying to get rid of this eyesore!

Oh thanks guys, so many great options here! I am dying to get rid of this eyesore!

Have you considered those little animated guys that parachute in to the scene of your problem and make it like it never even happened?

Wad, if you go through the effort of removing the pipe why would you have it cleaned rather than replacing it with a new one? Are pipes really expensive?

peeling paint isn't a good thing. But perhaps a silver lining. Maybe aboutready can get some monetary damages out of this situation like she wants in StuyTown even though she was never damaged in her market-rate arms-length rental.

spinnaker1, I have absolutely no idea. I would guess that it would cost less to sandblast a pipe than to replace it but really, I'm just guessing here.

If this pipe we're talking about is part of a steam riser, you ain't gonna just pluck it out so quick.

oh yeah, maint guys just love putting a wrench to 100 yr old iron. Seriously techno, box it in.

I cant really remove this pipe I dont think, so thats prob not an option. I think I might try the PEEL AWAY thing once spring comes or have a handyman do it.