Find out if your home’s paint contains lead.
If your home was built before 1978, there’s a good chance some of its paint contains lead. We collect paint chip samples and send them to an accredited lab for clear, dependable results.
Why It Matters
The Cutoff Year
Lead-based paint was banned for residential use in 1978. Homes built before then may still have it on trim, doors, windows, siding, or walls, even under newer coats of paint.
Disclosure Rules
Sellers and landlords of pre-1978 housing are required to disclose known lead-based paint hazards before a sale or lease. Testing gives you facts to disclose instead of guesswork.
Health Risk
Lead dust and paint chips can be ingested or inhaled during normal wear, repairs, or renovation work. Young children and pregnant women are most at risk.
Before You Renovate
Planning repairs or painting on a pre-1978 home? Knowing whether lead is present up front helps you plan for lead-safe work practices instead of finding out mid-project.
How It Works
Schedule Your Test
Add lead paint testing to your home inspection, or book it as a standalone service.
We Collect Samples
A technician collects small paint chip samples from suspect surfaces, interior trim, doors, windows, and exterior siding wherever paint is present.
Lab Analysis
Samples are sent to an accredited partner lab for precise lead content analysis. The lab handles certification of results.
You Get Clear Results
We deliver the lab’s findings in a straightforward report you can use for peace of mind, real estate disclosure, or renovation planning.
What the Results Mean
The lab reports lead content for each sample submitted. Under federal guidelines, paint is generally defined as lead-based when it contains lead at or above 1.0 milligram per square centimeter, or 0.5% by weight.
Below the Threshold
That surface is not considered lead-based paint under federal guidelines.
At or Above the Threshold
Lead-safe work practices apply to any future repair, repaint, or renovation work on that surface.
This service tests the paint chip samples we collect. It is not a full lead risk assessment or clearance inspection. We’re glad to walk you through what your results mean for your specific situation.
Visit the EPA’s Lead website for more on lead health risks, disclosure requirements, and federal guidelines.
Common Questions
If it was built before 1978, testing is worth doing, especially before a renovation, before selling or leasing, or if young children spend time in the home.
A technician takes small paint chip samples from a handful of surfaces. The process is quick and doesn’t require extensive damage to your home.
Results are typically returned within a few business days of the lab receiving the samples. We’ll let you know your expected timeline when you schedule.
Yes, lead paint testing pairs easily with a general home inspection so your technician collects samples during the same visit.
Test results give you accurate information to disclose, but the disclosure requirement itself is a legal obligation. We recommend confirming the specifics with your real estate agent or attorney.
That doesn’t mean the home is unsafe as-is. It means any future repair, repaint, or renovation work on that surface should follow lead-safe practices, typically performed by an EPA RRP certified contractor.