Spring is a time of new beginnings. This is the perfect time to start that home improvement project you’ve been putting off all winter. Here are our tips for projects to prepare your home for summer.

Update Your Home with a Fresh Coat of Paint

Put your home’s best face forward with a fresh paint job. An updated color scheme can take your house from ordinary to traffic-stopping. A good exterior paint job can last ten years if it’s done right. Even if your home doesn’t require a full paint makeover, consider a touch-up to prolong the life of your siding and trim.

Remove Old Paint Prior to Painting

Prior to painting, it’s important to remove existing paint and varnish. Proper preparation can save you a lot of time and money in the long run. Dry, uneven paint prevents good adhesion of new paint. Stripping old paint provides the ideal surface for the application and durability of a fresh coat. Paint stripping also helps remove lead paint, which can pose a safety hazard to people living in and around your home.

If your house was built before 1978, it’s highly likely that the existing paint contains lead. Removing lead paint can release toxic lead fumes, dust, and chips into the environment. It’s crucial that you take the necessary precautions to prevent this from occurring. Read more about lead paint removals at epa.gov/lead.

Quick and Easy Paint Stripping

Removing old paint can take a considerable amount of time and effort. Speedheater™ products allow you to remove old paint quickly and easily. The system uses infrared rays to warm paint only to the point at which it can be easily scraped away. Layers of paint are removed in large chunks that can easily be collected on plastic sheeting and disposed of safely.

Fast, Safe, Effective

Infrared heat stripping is safer and more effective than any other paint stripping method. Speedheater™ products help protect you and your neighbors from the damaging effects of lead paint. The system does not create toxic fumes and minimizes paint dust. It’s gentle on the wood unlike power washing, sanding and chemicals. The infrared rays bring the natural resin back up to the surface of the wood. This rejuvenates the wood and creates the ideal surface for you to immediately apply your fresh paint.

The Speedheater™  Standard 1100 is perfect for large, flat surfaces. The Speedheater™ Cobra is ideal for window paint and putty, interior and fancy wood work, and furniture. and more. They can make adhesive on car decals and glue on wood and concrete after removing carpets easier to scrape off. A Speedheater™ also works well for drying out moisture in wood and concrete. It also kills mildew and fungi while drying those surfaces.

Speedheater™ products allow you prepare for a wide range of spring painting projects quickly and easily.

Please contact us for more information about Speedheater™ products.

You Could Be The Lucky Cobra™ Winner!

On our Facebook page, show us a paint removal project that you want to tackle or have been avoiding because it’s a hassle. We want to know which DIY project you need the Speedheater™ Cobra for.

Examples of paint stripping projects:

• Window frames – paint and putty
• Fancy interior wood trim
• Doors with glass
• Old painted wood being repurposed into furniture
• Picture frames and wall hangings
• Bed frames
• Coffee tables
• Kitchen cabinets

PRIZES:

First place prize: Speedheater™ Cobra Infrared Paint Remover (valued at $499).

Second Place Prize: Three Speedheater™ Swedish-Manufactured, Pull-Type Paint Scrapers: The Clapboard Scraper, the Profile Scraper, and the Boomerang Scraper (Valued at $147).

Third Place Prize: One Speedheater™ Swedish-Manufactured, Pull-Type Paint Scraper (Valued at $49).

HOW TO ENTER:

No purchase necessary to enter or win. A purchase does not increase the chances of winning. Must be 18 years old or older and reside in the United States to enter. To enter, post a video or photo of the DIY project you’ve been avoiding on our Facebook Page.

Entries are limited to 1 project per a person. The contest is open to contractors, professionals, and DIY-ers. The Contest begins at 12:01 am Eastern Time (ET) on January 16, 2018, and ends at 11:59 pm on February 28, 2018. All submissions must be received by 11:59 pm ET on February 28, 2018.

JUDGING:

All entries must meet the Contest requirements. Eco-Strip will review and select winners based on the following criteria:

People’s Choice – 100%
The photo with the most comments and likes will win the prize.

In the event of a tie, a winner will be drawn at random.

VOTING FOR PEOPLE’S CHOICE:

To vote electronically, anyone can vote by writing a comment or “liking” the submissions in the following places on our Facebook page. (include link to FB page). Voters may vote/comment/like more than one project/entry.

Rules:

By entering, you are granting Eco-Strip a non-exclusive perpetual license to reproduce images of your videos/photos on our website, newsletters, social media channels, and in the marketing of the DIY contest to the general public. All entries will be displayed on the Eco-Strip Facebook page and may be displayed on the Eco-Strip website. Each entry becomes part of the public, historical/archival online contest catalog. The voting process will commence at 12:01am on January 11, 2018 and will end on February 28 at 11:59pm. In the event of technical difficulties or for other reasons, contest submission and voting dates are subject to change without notice. Voters may vote/comment/like more than one project/entry. Automated mechanisms are strictly prohibited. Any votes suspected by the judges to be fraudulent may be disqualified, in the judge’s’ sole discretion, and could affect the final standings prior to the announcement. Additionally, any person employing such device will be disqualified.

By participating, the Contestant (“You”) agree to be fully unconditionally bound by these Rules, and You represent and warrant that You meet the eligibility requirements. In addition, You agree to accept the decisions of Eco-Strip as final and binding as it relates to the content of this Campaign.

Terms & Conditions

Eco-Strip reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Campaign should virus, bug, non-authorized human intervention, fraud, or other cause beyond Eco-Strip’s control corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, or proper conduct of the Campaign. In such case, Eco-Strip may select the Winner from all eligible entries received prior to and/or after (if appropriate) the action taken by Eco-Strip. Eco-Strip reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers or attempts to tamper with the entry process or the operation of the Campaign or website or violates these Terms & Conditions. Eco-Strip has the right, in its sole discretion, to maintain the integrity of the Campaign, to void votes for any reason, including, but not limited to: multiple entries from the same user from different IP addresses; multiple entries from the same computer in excess of that allowed by Campaign rules; or the use of bots, macros, scripts, or other technical means for entering. Any attempt by an entrant to deliberately damage any website or undermine the legitimate operation of the Campaign may be a violation of criminal and civil laws. Should such attempt be made, Eco-Strip reserves the right to seek damages to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Limitation of Liability:

By entering, You agree to release and hold harmless Eco-Strip and its subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies, partners, representatives, agents, successors, assigns, employees, officers, and directors from any liability, illness, injury, death, loss, litigation, claim, or damage that may occur, directly or indirectly, whether caused by negligence or not, from: (i) such entrant’s participation in the Campaign and/or his/her acceptance, possession, use, or misuse of any prize or any portion thereof; (ii) technical failures of any kind, including but not limited to the malfunction of any computer, cable, network, hardware, or software, or other mechanical equipment; (iii) the unavailability or inaccessibility of any transmissions, telephone, or Internet service; (iv) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Promotion; (v) electronic or human error in the administration of the Promotion or the processing of entries.

Disputes

THIS CAMPAIGN IS GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF the United States of America AND the state of Virginia, WITHOUT RESPECT TO CONFLICT OF LAW DOCTRINES. As a condition of participating in this Campaign, participant agrees that any and all disputes that cannot be resolved between the parties, and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Campaign, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, exclusively before a court located in the state of Virginia having jurisdiction. Further, in any such dispute, under no circumstances shall participant be permitted to obtain awards for, and hereby waives all rights to, punitive, incidental, or consequential damages, including reasonable attorney’s fees, other than participant’s actual out-of-pocket expenses (i.e. costs associated with entering this Campaign). Participant further waives all rights to have damages multiplied or increased.

Facebook:

The Campaign hosted by Eco-Strip is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook.

Permissions:

By entering this contest, You, the Contestant, have affirmatively reviewed, accepted, and agreed to all of the Official Rules.

Many of us stay inside during the cold months of winter. This forces us to focus our attention on the interior of our homes. When doing so, you will likely notice a few things that need attention. While you might believe that paint removal is not possible during the winter, nothing could be further from the truth. Getting indoor projects completed in the winter can be rewarding and ensures your home will be ready for spring and summer.

Safe and Easy Paint Removal

If you’ve been putting off indoor projects because you are concerned about the safety of removing paint or varnish, Speedheater™ can help! The Speedheater™ Infrared Paint Remover heats paint and varnish quickly and easily without the risk of toxic lead fumes, messy chemicals, or flying dust.

Winter Paint Stripping Projects

Paint can be removed at any time, regardless of the season. Although the Speedheater™ can be used both indoors and out, it’s best to stick with indoor projects during the winter. Why? Heating time will be much longer for the paint and wood in the cold weather. Heated paint cools faster and hardens more quickly in wind and cold air making its removal difficult. For best results, don’t try paint stripping using infrared or applying fresh paint in temperatures below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Check the temperature of the surface you are painting, as it can be colder than the temperature of the air.

If you do start stripping paint on the outside of your house make sure that you are able to re-paint the surface immediately. Leaving bare wood exposed for weeks or months is not a good idea. The moisture in the air may soak into the bare wood. Moisture under paint is the most common reason for paint failure.

The Speedheater™ can help you accomplish a number of indoor improvement projects this winter. It quickly and easily removes paint and varnish from wood floors and trim, chair and stair rails, baseboards, door frames and doors. The Speedheater™ Cobra is perfect for refinishing smaller projects like windows and chairs. Strip the ugly paint off your cabinets and show their beautiful wood. Thinking of taking up that old tile floor in your kitchen and putting in other flooring? The Speedheater™ can soften the adhesive under linoleum flooring and make it easier to pull up.

Gentle Paint Removal

Speedheater™ infrared paint removal is the safest method for users and the gentlest method for wood. The Speedheater™ uses a very specific wave length of infrared rays to heat the paint only high enough to release it from the surface and make it bubble. Heating paint to this low level will not release toxic lead fumes. Immediately scraping soft paint creates clumps of paint waste and minimizes flying paint dust.

Infrared paint removal is the least damaging to the wood of any paint stripping method. The rays open the wood grain and bring the natural wood resin up to the surface. This rejuvenates old, dry wood. The infrared rays do not heat completely through the wood and under it like the blowing, hot air from a heat gun does. The risk of scorching the wood or creating a fire behind the wood is very low with an infrared paint stripper. We’ve all heard stories about beautiful, old houses being burned down by heat gun paint stripping. Not with the Speedheater™!

Speedheater™ products make winter paint stripping projects a breeze!

Please contact us for more information about Speedheater™ products.

Heat has been used for many years to strip paint. Infrared heat allows you to work faster than a standard heat gun, without working any harder. Infrared heat stripping is quick and easy with Speedheater™ products. These innovative paint strippers work by gently heating paint to the point at which it can be safely removed. Speedheater™ products draw the natural wood resins back to the wood’s surface, effectively rejuvenating it.

Speedheater™ Products Are Safe and Easy to Use

Heat guns operating at 800-1100F degrees heat paint to these levels. Lead paint gives off invisible fumes when heated around 900F degrees. Once lead paint turns to fumes, special organic vapor face masks must be worn to protect workers. In addition, using blowing heat on painted surfaces greatly increases the risk of often-undetected fire behind the wood surface being stripped. Infrared rays heat paint in a different way and do not heat whatever is behind the wood. This minimizes the risk of fire.

Using Speedheater™ Paint Strippers

Speedheater™ products are incredibly easy to use. Once turned on and warmed up, the Speedheater™ can be held just a few inches from the paint. The paint will begin to bubble and smoke. The Speedheater™ should then be removed, and the paint simply scraped away. A pull scraper works best for removing paint, as it will not mar the wood.

The Speedheater™ Cobra is small enough to be used with just one hand. This allows you to reach more areas and hold a scraper in your other hand while working. The original Speedheater™ is larger and works well on bigger areas such as windows, doors and siding.

It’s a good idea to work in small sections until all of the paint is removed. Reheating sections that have just been heated can cause the wood to burn. You will need to work quickly so that you do not scorch the wood or paint. It only takes two to three seconds to heat paint with the Speedheater™ Cobra and twenty to thirty seconds with the original Speedheater™.

When removing paint from pieces that are not attached to a building or other object, it’s a good idea to clamp them down. This ensures that your piece won’t move around while you’re working on it.

Whenever you stop working with your Speedheater™, it’s important to set it down with the heating element facing up. This will prevent it from burning the surface it’s placed on.

Infrared Heat Stripping with Speedheater™ Products

Speedheater™ products remove paint, varnish and adhesives quickly and easily. Paint is removed in large pieces that can be easily disposed of. Please contact us for more information about Speedheater™ products.

If you want a good-looking, long-lasting new paint job on the outside of your home, your woodwork or even furniture, stripping off all the old paint is a must. But it is the most time-consuming and painful portion of painting. In fact, many people skip the stripping and just paint over old, uneven paint, or hire someone else to do it for them. But what if you had a way to remove paint that was clean, easy, and non-toxic?

Most paint stripping systems have a downside. Abrasive methods like power sanding and shaving are effective on flat siding, if you are skilled and can handle holding them vertically for hours. But they spread lots of dust, which can be laden with lead. High heat stripping methods have a high risk of fire. Chemical strippers can be toxic and give off horrible fumes. Most environmentally-friendly chemical strippers are slower and may take many applications.

Removing paint with infrared heat, using the Speedheater™ Standard or Cobra, is the best alternative for paint stripping! It’s quick, since it only takes 20-30 seconds of infrared exposure to soften paint. The Speedheater™ infrared rays soften paint by heating it to 400° – 600° F. Most heat guns heat paint to over 1000°F! Lead begins to vaporize into toxic gas above 1100°F. When the Speedheater™ is used properly, no lead gas is emitted, the risk of fire is low, and minimal lead dust is created.

DIYers who are thinking of hiring someone for their paint stripping because of lead paint concerns can easily use Speedheater™ themselves. When the paint is soft and scraped, lead dust is not generated. The paint scrapings clump together and drop onto a tarp, which makes clean up much easier, faster and safer!

For DIYers with large areas to strip, adding the Speedheater™ Arm makes paint stripping even faster! The arm holds the Speedheater™ Standard, so that you can heat one area ahead of you while scraping the already-heated area. How’s that for efficient use of a tool?

The Speedheater™ System is the perfect set-up for a DIYer who wants to tackle a large painting project but has been putting it off because of the hassle of paint stripping.

Years ago, the main way to remove paint was by using a fast-working chemical stripper called methylene chloride, which gave off harsh fumes and had a high VOC (volatile organic compounds) content. This compound could only be used in a properly-ventilated area because of its toxicity. In fact, the active ingredients in most common paint removers are organic solvents which may damage the skin, eyes, respiratory tract, nervous system, and internal organs. Also, liquid paint and varnish removers are among the most toxic products used in homes!

Luckily, times have changed and now we have several options for more safely removing old paint from wood surfaces. Chemical strippers using safer ingredients have been on the market for more than 15 years. Thanks to growing interest in “green building,” environmentally-friendly paint removal products are more popular than ever. Many of them are non-caustic gels, and some are even made from soybean or citrus. While liquid strippers eliminate dust, they still leave messy gel and water with paint waste in it. These are hard to contain and often contaminate surrounding areas.

Dry scraping, sanding, and even shaving loose paint are common, modern methods of paint removal, especially on building exteriors. These methods work faster than liquid paint removers, but huge amounts of paint dust and chips fly out beyond the work area and into the environment.

And then there are open torches and high heat guns. They soften the paint, make less dust, and don’t have chemicals to burn you, but they operate at 1000 degrees F, which can release toxic, lead fumes. Plus the extremely high blowing heat greatly increases the risk of fire on the surface or behind it. That’s why we recommend the Speedheater™ Infrared Paint Removal Systems, including our newest product, the Cobra. Speedheaters’ unique infrared rays bubble paint and varnish in as little as two seconds, yet don’t heat coatings high enough to create lead fumes.

Some of the environmentally-friendly benefits of using Speedheater™ Standard and Cobra are:

• No environmentally hazardous chemicals
• No contaminated waste water or gels soaking into the ground.
• 75% less energy consumption than a heat gun.
• No flying dust and chips.
• No lead gas released.
• Mildew, fungus, and algae in wood and on concrete are killed without chemicals.

The safest way to remove lead paint is with Speedheater™ Infrared Paint Removal Systems.