Testing for Lead in Homes

Testing for lead is recommended in homes built before 1978. There are two types of lead tests:

• a lead inspection and
• a risk assessment.

Lead inspection
In a lead inspection, all painted surfaces on the inside and outside of the building are sampled and tested. This complete survey helps to determine if and where there is lead-based paint that could become a lead-based paint hazard in a home. A lead inspection is very useful to people who are planning to repaint or remodel. Any activity that disturbs painted surfaces may create a lead hazard.

The inspector provides a report. The report says which surfaces contain lead. The report does not tell whether any of these surfaces are hazardous to the people living in the home.

Risk assessment
A risk assessment is the only way to know for sure if there are lead hazards in the home. The assessment also tells the type of hazard and the seriousness of the hazard. A risk assessment includes:

• a visual inspection to find out where the damaged surfaces are and the causes of the damages,
• testing of places where children may have chewed (e.g. window sills),
• testing of dust from floors and windows,
• testing of bare soil from children's play areas,
• testing of water (optional).

A risk assessment report tells where the lead hazards are. The report also tells how to reduce or control any lead hazards. There are both temporary and permanent methods of lead hazard control and maintenance.

A risk assessment only tests for current hazards from lead. If painted or finished surfaces become damaged in the future, a risk assessment cannot tell what the future hazards may be.

Not every surface is tested in a risk assessment. To know completely which surfaces contain lead and whether any of these pose a hazard requires both an inspection and a risk assessment.

Testing methods for lead

Lead in paint
There are many ways to test for lead in paint and other surface finishes. The two main ways include:

• A portable X-Ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer. This tool uses radiation to measure the amount of lead in a finished surface. The paint is not disturbed for this text. XRF is usually used for lead inspections.
• Sending chips of paint or other surface coating to a laboratory for analysis.

Lead in dust
Dust that contains lead looks just like other dust. The only way to know if dust contains lead is to collect samples and send them to an approved lab for analysis. A lead inspector or risk assessor should take the dust samples. For a list of approved labs contact the National Lead Information Center.

Lead in soil
Soil samples should be collected from bare soil (with no grass or plants), especially in places where children play. Samples are taken from the top half-inch of soil. The samples should be sent to an approved lab for analysis. You do not need to be a lead professional to take soil samples and get them analyzed. For a list of approved labs, contact the National Lead Information Center.

Lead in water
Lead pipes and lead solder were once used in home plumbing. Lead from these pipes can leak into drinking water. Water testing is a service offered by lead inspectors and risk assessors, but anyone can take water samples and get them tested. For more information about testing water for lead, contact the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Drinking Water Hotline.

When should a home be inspected for lead?

Any home built before 1978 probably has some lead-based paint. Homes built before 1960 are very likely to have lead-based paint. The presence of lead in a house or apartment does not always mean that the lead is hazardous to people. Intact, well-maintained surfaces may not be a hazard. In older homes, it is likely that damaged surfaces are hazardous, especially to children. The only way to know for sure whether there is lead-based paint in a home and whether it is hazardous or not is to test the home for lead. A home should be tested for lead when:

1. There are or will be children age seven or younger in the home.
   The main way that young children get lead poisoning is by swallowing lead dust. Children can be poisoned by eating chips or chewing on painted surfaces, but this is less common. Lead dust gets on surfaces and toys that children touch. Children swallow lead dust when they put their hands or toys in their mouths. A pregnant woman may pass lead to her unborn baby. The unborn baby can be lead poisoned if its mother breathes in or swallows lead dust. Lead poisoning of unborn and young children can cause many health problems
   
   
2. A home is about to be remodeled, renovated, or repainted.
   When surfaces that may contain lead are disturbed, lead dust or small pieces of the paint or other finish may be left in the house or soil around the house. These chips and dust may create a lead hazard. Testing should be done by a certified lead professional before the work is started. All painted or finished surfaces that will be removed, scraped, sanded, or disturbed in any way should be tested.
3. A home built before 1978 is being rented or sold.Federal laws require that landlords or sellers inform renters or buyers of any known sources of lead or lead hazards in the home. The law provides a ten-day window for buyers to have the home inspected for lead-based paint. This is a good time to find out about any potential lead hazards. Landlords and sellers are also required to give the renter or buyer the pamphlet.

   Can residents test for lead in homes?

   It is not recommended that residents do their own testing for lead in homes.
   
   Although home test kits are available, they are not recommended. A licensed lead inspector or risk assessor should test for lead in a home.

   Finding a lead professional

   When hiring a lead professional, you should know that:

   • A lead inspector can do lead inspections

   • A risk assessor does risk assessments.

   • Some professionals are licensed to do both inspections and risk assessments.

   Many states require lead inspectors and risk assessors to be certified by the state. If so, be sure to hire a state-certified lead inspector or risk assessor. The Lead Listing has a list of lead service providers that is searchable by state. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development also has a nationwide listing of lead professionals.
   
   To become a licensed or certified lead professional in most states, a person must:

   • be trained to do specific lead-related tasks,

   • have certain skills or experience, and

   • pass a certification exam.

   Sometimes people have been trained in lead-related tasks but do not have actual work experience. Sometimes they have not passed the certification test. These people are not certified or licensed by the state.
   
   If a state does not have a certification program, hire a lead inspector or risk assessor who has been certified in another state. If it is not possible to hire a state-certified lead professional, check with the local public health department to get a list of qualified inspectors or risk assessors.
   
   If there is no public health department list for an area, try to hire a person who has completed an EPA model course for inspection and/or risk assessment. This person will have a certificate saying that they have completed this course.
   
   When buying a house, keep in mind that sometimes a home inspector may also be a certified lead inspector or risk assessor. If the house was built before 1978, ask the home inspector whether he or she is a certified lead professional. If not, ask for a referral to a certified lead inspector or risk assessor.

   How much does a lead inspection or risk assessment cost?

   The cost of a lead inspection or risk assessment varies from state to state, from vendor to vendor, and depends on the size of the home. A risk assessment is more complete than a lead inspection, so it costs more money. A combination inspection and risk assessment is more expensive than just a lead inspection or risk assessment alone.

   What do the results of a lead inspection or risk assessment mean?

   A lead inspection tells if and how much lead there is in a painted or finished surface. A risk assessment tells the amount of lead dust in a home. If is tested for lead, the results can tell how much lead is in the soil or water
   
   Depending on the type of inspection (e.g., lead inspection or risk assessment), the results will mean different things.

   • A lead inspection report tells which surfaces in a home were tested and which of these have lead in them. It will not mention the condition of the lead-based paint or other finish (e.g., varnish). It will also not tell whether there are any from the paint or finish.

   • A risk assessment report tells whether there are any hazards from lead-based paint in a home. It also gives ideas on how to reduce or control these hazards.

   Even if the report states that no lead-based paint or finish is found, a home may still have surfaces that contain lead. This could happen when the paint or finish has lower levels of lead in it than the federal government regulates. This is important to remember. Even these low levels of lead may be released to the air as lead dust if the painted or finished surface is damaged or disturbed during remodeling or renovation.
   
   Results for the different methods of testing are as follows:

   • Portable X-Ray fluorescence analyzer: Paint or a finish is lead-based when there is 1.0 milligram of lead per square centimeter of painted/finished surface or greater.

   • Paint/finish chip samples: Samples, usually two inches square, contain layers of paint/finish down to but not including any wood or plaster surface. The samples are sent to a laboratory. The presence of lead can be reported in two ways. The paint or finish is said to be lead-based when there is either 0.5 percent of lead in the sample or there is the same amount of lead per square centimeter as found by XRF analysis.

   • Dust samples: Results are given as a weight of lead per unit area of surface, such as micrograms of lead per square foot. In general, if the lead in dust from floors (including carpeted floors) is more than 40 micrograms per square foot (40ug/ft²), the dust is said to be hazardous. For interior window sills, dust is said to be hazardous if it has more than 250ug/ft² of lead.

   • Soil samples: Results from soil tests are usually given as the weight of lead per unit weight of soil, usually in parts per million (ppm). The soil in play areas is said to be hazardous if it has more than 400 ppm of lead. The hazard level for soil in non-play areas is 1,200 ppm.

   • Water samples: In most states, a lead inspector or risk assessor does not routinely test water. Water testing is an optional service. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set the standard for lead in water at below 15 parts per billion.

   What should tenants know about lead inspections?

   Landlords are required by federal law to tell their tenants of any known lead-based paint or lead-based paint hazards in the home or apartment they are offering for rent. This rule applies to all tenants, not just tenants with children less than seven years old. Landlords are required to provide any lead test results to their tenants.
   
   Landlords must also provide renters with the pamphlet "Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home"