How to Test for Lead Paint in an Older Home

Should you test at all?

If the house was built before 1978 and you plan to disturb paint, the safest assumption is that lead may be present until a test shows otherwise. Testing is not legally required for homeowners, and under the EPA's renovation rule contractors may simply presume lead and work lead-safe. But a test can save time and money if the surfaces turn out to be lead-free, and it tells you where the risk actually is.

Lead-based paint is defined in federal regulations as paint with lead at or above 1.0 milligram per square centimeter, or 0.5% by weight. Test results are reported against these thresholds.

Option 1: EPA-recognized test kits

Chemical spot tests change color when they detect lead. They are cheap and fast, but quality varies. The EPA maintains a list of recognized kits that meet its performance criteria, and recognition applies only to specific surfaces (for example wood, drywall or plaster). Only results from an EPA-recognized kit used by a certified renovator can be used to exempt a component from the RRP rule.

• Test every layer: cut a small notch through all coats down to the bare surface, because lead is usually in the older layers underneath.
• Test each component type separately (window sills, trim, doors, siding, walls).
• Follow the kit's instructions exactly, including the confirmation step if a result is negative.
• Treat a positive result as positive. A negative result from a non-recognized kit is not proof that lead is absent.

Option 2: Paint chip samples sent to a lab

You or a professional can remove a small sample through all layers of paint, about 2 inches by 2 inches, and send it to a laboratory accredited under the EPA's National Lead Laboratory Accreditation Program (NLLAP). Results come back as a percentage by weight or mg/cm². This is more reliable than most kits and inexpensive per sample, but removing the sample disturbs a little paint, so mist the area, use a drop cloth and clean up with a damp wipe.

Option 3: A certified inspector or risk assessor

For a whole-house answer, hire a certified lead-based paint inspector or risk assessor. In Texas these professionals are licensed by the Department of State Health Services.

• An inspection tests every painted surface type, usually with a portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer that reads lead content through the paint without damaging it.
• A risk assessment goes further, looking for actual hazards such as deteriorated paint and lead in dust and soil, and recommends how to control them.

An inspection is the right choice before a large remodel of an older house, when buying a pre-1978 home with small children, or if a child has an elevated blood lead level.

What to do with the results

• Lead found on surfaces you will disturb: hire a Lead-Safe Certified firm for paid work, or follow lead-safe practices yourself. See what the RRP rule requires.
• Lead found, but paint is intact and you are not disturbing it: keep it in good condition, wet-wipe window sills and floors regularly, and watch for chipping.
• Lead-free results on specific components: keep the documentation; it applies only to the components tested.
• Removing lead paint entirely (abatement): this is a separate, regulated activity performed by licensed abatement contractors.

Protecting children

If you have young children in a pre-1978 home, ask your pediatrician about a blood lead test. The CDC recommends testing based on risk factors, and Texas Medicaid requires testing at ages 12 and 24 months. Keep children away from any work area until it has been cleaned and verified.

Planning a paint job on an older house? Start with the exterior painting guide and the contractor hiring checklist.

Where lead is most often found

In older homes, lead is most common on windows and window sills, doors and door frames, porches, railings and exterior siding and trim, the friction and impact surfaces that wear and create dust.

Buying an older home

Sellers of pre-1978 housing must disclose known lead-based paint and give buyers the EPA pamphlet, and buyers have a 10-day opportunity to conduct a lead inspection or risk assessment unless they waive it.