You should consider testing for lead if there are children in your home and...

• your house was built before 1978, or
• your house is near a freeway or busy roadway where leaded gasoline and its exhaust may have polluted the soil with lead.

• your house has peeling or chipping paint;
• your house has bare soil in the yard where children play;
• you plan to repaint, remodel or renovate the house;
• a child living in the house has had a blood lead test result of 10 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dl) or higher; or
• your house was built before 1950 -- such homes almost always have some lead-based paint.

• federal laws require the seller to give you an informational pamphlet and to  tell you about any known lead hazards in the home.  (These federal laws also give home buyers 10 days to inspect for lead.  The law does not require landlords to allow a renter to inspect for lead.)

• Contact the National Lead Information Center at 1-800-424-LEAD for information and materials about real estate disclosure laws and for the EPA pamphlet Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home.

You should also test places where you plan to repaint or remodel.  Test several different spots.  If you are testing paint, test each different paint color.  If you are testing soil, test different bare soil areas.

 Some good places to test for lead-based paint are...

• window frames and sills
• doors, door jambs and thresholds
• trim and siding
• kitchen cabinets
• painted children's furniture
• baseboards

• around the foundation of the house
• where children play
• unpaved pathways
• under windows or walls with peeling or chipping paint
• where pets play or rest

• Get a laboratory analysis:  For $25 - $50, you can have a paint chip or soil sample tested by an accredited laboratory and get reliable results in 24 - 48 hours.  Call the laboratory for details before you mail them your samples.  Keep a sketch or list of the locations where you take samples.

• Taking A Paint Sample:  Tape a clean, plastic sandwich bag underneath some paint you want to test.  Use a clean, sharp chisel or scraper to scrape a tablespoon size amount of paint into the bag.  Try to scrape off all the layers of paint, not just the top coats -- lead is often in the bottom layer of paint.  Try not to scrape off any of the wood or plaster that is under the paint.  Seal the bag and label it.  On the label, write where the sample was taken (example:  Sample #1 - kitchen window sill).  Wash your hands and the scraper with soap and water after each paint sample you take.

• Taking A Soil Sample:  Using a clean trowel or large spoon, scoop about half a cup of soil from the top inch of the bare soil you want to test.  Try not to scoop up plant leaves, roots, or other large pieces of debris.  If there are paint chips in the soil, it is OK to include them in the sample.  Place the soil into a clean, plastic sandwich bag.  Seal the bag and label it.  On the label, write where the sample was taken (example: Sample # 2 - under children's swing set).  Wash your hands and the spoon with soap and water after each soil sample you take.

• Hire a Certified Inspector/Assessor:  You can hire a State-certified inspector/assessor to inspect your home for lead.  Obtain at least two or three bids for a cost estimate of the work.  Ask the inspector/assessor to write you a risk assessment report that will tell you if the lead levels in your home represent a hazard and what options you have for dealing with it.

The certified inspector/assessor can test your paint with an XRF (x-ray fluorescence) machine, for immediate results.  He or she can also send paint, dust and soil samples to a laboratory for testing.  Make sure the inspector/assessor gives you a sketch or a description of where the samples were taken.

For a list of State-certified inspector/assessors, go to the State-certified inspector/assessor page on this site.

WARNING:  Lead test results are only as good as your testing procedures.  The results will not tell you about the lead content of painted surfaces or soil that you did not test.  Hire a State-certified inspector/assessor to make sure you get accurate testing results.

 If you decide to use a lead test kit to test your paint, follow the directions on the package very carefully.  Be sure to test the bottom layers of paint.  To do this, use a sharp knife to cut a slanted notch through all the paint layers on the spot you want to test.  Test all the layers of paint in the notch.  Look for the color change indicated by the test kit.

 If your house was built before 1978 and your lead test kit comes out negative (does not change color), you should have an accredited lab test the paint to make sure the lead test kit worked properly.

• Contact your family doctor or your local health department and get blood lead tests for your children who are 6 years of age or under.
• Find out about everyday things you can do to prevent lead poisoning.
• Consider hiring a State-certified lead inspector/assessor to inspect your home for lead.
• Hire a State-certified lead contractor to reduce the lead hazards in your home and yard.
• If you plan to repaint or remodel your home, hire a State-certified lead contractor.  If you plan to do the work yourself, get the EPA's free how-to booklet, Reducing Lead Hazards When Remodeling Your Home and contact your local health department to find out about lead safe work practices to prevent poisoning yourself or your children.