I’ve been told this can be worth a few £££s.

I have a lot of it, I’d estimate at least 30metres or so some easily accessible, some not so. I have at least 6 metres in the boiler cupboard which is easily removed with a powersaw

I’m concerned as I have two small children under 3 of the lead dust which maybe caused by sawing it into pieces to remove. Is this something worth worrying about? or given it would be mostly under boards / not an area they would be playing in it is a very small risk.

I could quite easily leave them, but I quite like leaving things tidy if I can (bit OCD) and if I can cash them in for a few quid even better

for £1.30 a kilo is it worth it?

A hacksaw goes through lead like a knife through butter (The deviants who steal church roofs tend to use either Stanley knives or hook knifes although lead water or gas pipe is significantly thicker than roof sheeting). The dust cutting by hand makes is going to be too course to become airborne. The main risk is the white powdery deposit on the surface of the pipes which is usually lead oxide or carbonate which could potentially become airborne if you used a power saw.

Just wash your hands when your done.

It’s lead, you won’t need power tools. Hacksaw at best or bolt cutters will make no dust at all. Catch dust on a paper towel then put it in a bag when you bin it.

get a pair of plastic pipe cutters such as these

plastic pipe cutters

cuts lead easily, and you don’t need to cut it too often as it will bend back on itself.

Not sure I’d worry too much about lead dust unless you are creating excessive amounts of it, just hoover it up.

Rubbish link for cutters was after the image, you can buy them much cheaper than that!

You’re sure the pipework isn’t live, are you?

You’re sure the pipework isn’t live, are you?

I made that mistake!

Cue very rapid hammering over of the end of the pipe! 😀

It’s metal so you’ll produce swarf not dust, so small metallic cuttings. They are heavy so will fall to the ground immediately rather than go airborne. Suck it up with a vacuum cleaner once you’re done.

get a pair of plastic pipe cutters such as these

plastic pipe cutters

That cost the same as 30kg of lead is worth 😆

Prolonged exposure to lead is bad, one instant dose will only make them thick for a year or two before it gets excreted.

Hadn’t thought about using cutters, though most of it is in pretty difficult places to get easy access to.

Some of it is definitely coming out as I have it down the wall in one of the bedrooms – I’d only be taking out the stuff I’m confident is dead. Like the stuff that was connected to the long gone boiler