How Do You Know If Your Home Has Lead Paint?
The only way to know is to test, and any home built before 1978 should be treated as a possible lead paint home until testing says otherwise. The EPA notes that homes built before 1978 are more likely to have lead-based paint, since that is the year the federal government banned its sale for use in homes. Testing options include an EPA-recognized test kit used by a certified renovator, a paint chip sent to an accredited lab, or an inspection by a certified lead inspector or risk assessor.
In Westmoreland County, that pre-1978 window covers most houses. U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey estimates for 2024, as compiled by Census Reporter, show about 70 percent of the county's housing units were built before 1980, including 18.6 percent built in 1939 or earlier. The EPA also points out that no lead test kit has yet met both of its performance standards, and the kits it recognizes are judged reliable only for showing that regulated lead paint is not present. This guide covers which homes are most at risk, how testing actually works, and what the federal rules require when work disturbs old paint.
Which Homes Are Most Likely to Have Lead Paint?
Age is the first clue. The EPA ties the risk to homes built before 1978, and Westmoreland County's housing stock skews old:
Year built | Share of Westmoreland County housing units (ACS 2024) |
1939 or earlier | 18.6% |
1940 to 1949 | 7.8% |
1950 to 1959 | 15.6% |
1960 to 1969 | 13.7% |
1970 to 1979 | 14.1% |
1980 or later | 30.2% |
Lead-based paint is defined in EPA's renovation rules as paint containing lead at or above 1.0 milligram per square centimeter or 0.5 percent by weight. New coats do not remove what is under them, so a freshly painted room in an old house can still have lead in the layers below.
Condition matters as much as age. The EPA says lead paint in good shape is usually not a problem. The concern is old or worn paint, especially on surfaces that rub or get bumped constantly, such as doors and window sills, which can produce chips and dust.
Can You Test for Lead Paint Yourself?
You can buy test kits, but it helps to know what they can and cannot tell you. The EPA recognizes three kits for use under its Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule: LeadCheck, D-Lead and the State of Massachusetts kit.
Here is what EPA says about them:
They are designed to rule lead out. When used by a trained professional, a recognized kit can reliably determine that regulated lead-based paint is not present through a negative result.
No kit meets both standards. EPA set criteria for both false negatives and false positives in 2008. To date, no kit has met both, so the three recognized kits meet only the negative-response standard.
Surfaces matter. LeadCheck and D-Lead are recognized for wood, ferrous metal, drywall and plaster when used by a certified renovator. The Massachusetts kit is recognized for drywall and plaster only.
LeadCheck changed hands. 3M suspended production and sale of LeadCheck in October 2023, and by September 2024 had sold the formulation and trademarks to Luxfer Magtech, which EPA continues to recognize.
A positive swab is a strong signal to stop and get proper testing. A negative result from a kit used by an untrained homeowner is less certain than EPA's recognition implies, since the recognition applies to trained users.
What Are the Professional Lead Testing Options?
When a homeowner hires an EPA-certified renovator, EPA lists four ways the renovator can decide whether lead-safe work practices are needed:
Use an EPA-recognized test kit.
Send a paint chip sample to a lab accredited by the National Lead Laboratory Accreditation Program.
Have testing done by a certified lead inspector or risk assessor.
Assume lead is present in a pre-1978 home and follow lead-safe work practices.
The fourth option avoids waiting on results, but it does not tell you what is actually on your walls. If you want to know for certain, before buying a house or planning a large renovation, a certified inspector or risk assessor gives you the most complete picture.
What Must a Contractor Do in a Pre-1978 Home?
The EPA's RRP Rule has been fully in effect since April 22, 2010. Firms doing renovation, repair or painting that disturbs lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities and kindergartens built before 1978 must be EPA- or state-certified and must use certified renovators who follow specific work practices.
The rule spells out several requirements homeowners can check:
The pamphlet. No more than 60 days before work starts, the firm must give the owner EPA's lead pamphlet and get a written acknowledgment, or mail it at least 7 days before the job.
Banned methods. Open-flame burning or torching of painted surfaces is prohibited. High-speed sanding, grinding, planing and blasting are prohibited unless the tool has a shroud with a HEPA vacuum attachment. Heat guns must stay below 1,100°F.
The small-job threshold. Minor repair and maintenance that disturbs 6 square feet or less of painted surface per room inside, or 20 square feet or less outside, falls under a lighter category, as long as no prohibited practices are used. Window replacement and demolition of painted surfaces never qualify, and jobs in the same room within 30 days count together.
When you collect bids for work on an older home, ask each contractor for the firm's RRP certification and the name of the certified renovator who will be on site.
What Should You Avoid If You Suspect Lead Paint?
Dust is the hazard. The EPA warns that renovation or repair that disturbs painted surfaces in older homes can create large amounts of lead dust, and that even small amounts can pose risks. Young children are the main concern because they crawl, play on floors and put hands and toys in their mouths.
Until you know what is on your walls:
Do not dry sand, scrape or power sand old paint.
Do not use an open flame to strip paint.
Keep children and pets away from peeling or chipping areas.
Remember that settled lead dust can get back into the air when floors are swept or vacuumed, according to the EPA.
Watch the soil near the house. EPA notes that lead levels can be higher near the drip line of buildings that used lead-based paint.
If you are planning paint prep or a remodel, the post on how dust control improves remodel safety explains why containment matters on any job site.
When Does Lead Paint Matter Most During a Project?
Lead becomes an active issue the moment a project disturbs old paint. Common triggers include:
Exterior and interior painting prep, especially scraping and sanding peeling trim. The guide to prepping walls before repainting covers the prep steps that create dust.
Window replacement, which EPA's rule never treats as minor maintenance.
Remodeling and demolition of painted walls, ceilings and trim. The post on how remodels improve aging home structures looks at the wider work older homes often need.
Repainting peeling surfaces, which the post on signs your home needs a fresh coat of paint helps you spot early.
FAQ
Do all homes built before 1978 have lead paint?
No. The EPA says homes built before 1978 are more likely to have lead-based paint, not that every one does. Testing is the only way to know.
Are home lead test kits accurate?
The EPA says no kit has met both of its performance standards. The three it recognizes can reliably show that regulated lead paint is not present when used by a trained professional.
What level of lead counts as lead-based paint?
Under EPA's renovation rules, paint with lead at or above 1.0 milligram per square centimeter, or 0.5 percent by weight, is regulated lead-based paint.
Is it safe to paint over lead paint?
The EPA says lead paint in good condition is usually not a problem. The risk comes from prep work that sands, scrapes or chips the old paint, so the prep has to follow lead-safe practices.
Does replacing windows in an old house count as minor maintenance?
No. EPA's definition of minor repair and maintenance excludes window replacement, so it falls under the full renovation requirements in pre-1978 homes.
How many Westmoreland County homes are old enough to have lead paint?
About 70 percent of the county's housing units were built before 1980, based on 2024 American Community Survey estimates.
Painting and Remodeling Older Homes With Spotless Solutions
Spotless Solutions paints and remodels homes across Greensburg and Westmoreland County, including the older houses that make up much of the area. Its painting crews start with surface prep and work with Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams products, and its remodeling team keeps dust contained and cleans up at the end of every workday. For walls that need more than paint, the drywall and plaster team handles plaster repair, patching and skim coating. Ask about your home's age when you request a free quote for interior or exterior painting, so the right testing and work practices are planned from the start.
Visit Spotless Solutions or call 412-478-7384 today. Contact us for more information.
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