Built before 1978? Find out before you disturb it.
The government banned lead-based paint in 1978. If you're buying a property built before then, it most likely has lead-based paint somewhere in it. The paint itself sitting undisturbed isn't the hazard — the hazard starts the moment it's disturbed, because sanding, scraping or remodelling turns it into lead dust you can breathe in. Our certified inspectors identify where lead is present so you know what you're dealing with before any work begins.
Lead paint doesn't harm anyone by existing. It harms people once it becomes something they can swallow or breathe — and there are four routes it usually takes.
Lead Dust
Pb · DUSTThe most common route by far. Friction surfaces grind paint into a fine dust that settles on floors, sills and hands — and sanding or scraping during a remodel releases it in bulk. It is invisible, it doesn't smell, and it is easily breathed in or transferred hand-to-mouth.
Paint Chips & Deterioration
Pb · CHIPSPeeling, chipping and cracking paint sheds material that ends up on floors and window wells. Kitchens, windows and doorways deteriorate first because friction works on them daily. Chips are the route that most often reaches small children, who explore by putting things in their mouths.
Contaminated Soil
Pb · SOILExterior lead paint weathers off siding and porches over decades and accumulates in the soil against the foundation — exactly where gardens get planted and children play. From there it gets tracked back indoors on shoes and paws.
Drinking Water
Pb · H₂OPaint isn't the only lead source in an older home. Lead can also reach you through the plumbing that carries your drinking water, which is a separate question needing a separate test — see our water quality testing if the property predates modern plumbing standards.
Lead is a toxic substance that causes a wide range of health issues. Exposure builds through ingesting or breathing it in — and it does not affect everyone equally.
Lead paint left undisturbed and in good condition will not cause problems on its own. Exposure happens when someone puts their hands on lead-contaminated objects, or spends an extended period around lead dust. Because lead accumulates in the body rather than passing through it, repeated small exposures matter as much as any single event.
Children & Pregnancy
HIGHEST RISKYoung children and pregnant women are the most vulnerable populations. Children absorb more of what they're exposed to and are the most likely to encounter chips and dust at floor level. The effects that matter most here are neurological — impaired brain function and developmental delays — and they are not reliably reversible, which is why prevention carries so much more weight than treatment.
Adults
CUMULATIVEAdults are most often exposed during renovation and DIY work, where sanding and scraping generate dust in concentrated bursts. Symptoms tend to be systemic rather than neurological — high blood pressure, abdominal pain, headaches, fatigue and anemia — and are easy to attribute to something else, which is precisely what makes them worth ruling out.
To make sure your lead paint testing is accurate, there are key steps to prepare for and keep an eye on.
Thoroughly inspect the property for signs of deterioration. Focus on areas with peeling, chipping or cracking paint — particularly kitchens, windows and doorways, where friction leads to dust and paint chips.
Samples are collected from representative painted surfaces and analysed to determine whether lead is present, and where. Older homes often hold lead under several later layers, so surface appearance alone settles nothing.
Don't sand, scrape or dry-sweep suspect paint beforehand — that creates the exact dust the test is meant to characterise. Keep children and pregnant women away from deteriorating areas until results are back.
Review the results before any work starts. Where lead is confirmed, follow lead-safe practices and use appropriately certified contractors for renovation, repair or painting on those surfaces.
There is no way to identify lead-based paint by looking at it. The build year tells you whether to suspect it; a test tells you whether it's there.
Window sills are among the most common lead paint locations
If you are living in or buying a home built before 1978, it is very likely there is lead-based paint somewhere in it. Getting a lead-based paint test lets you take corrective action sooner — and, just as usefully, lets you rule it out before spending money on precautions you may not need.
Lead-based paint also isn't the only potential hazard in an older home. Lead can contaminate your water supply through the plumbing, which is worth checking separately.
Get an idea of the format and the items listed in an environmental testing report before you book — then schedule your lead testing when you're ready.
