Lead was used in paint because it was durable and provided various specific pigment colors. It was used in paints throughout the US Until January 1, 1978, when the Consumer Product Safety Commission ruled that lead paint could no longer be sold for residential use in the US, however. Not many paint companies made lead-based paint in the 1970s. In fact, Sherwin Williams stopped making lead-based paint during World War II. Homes built in the 1960s are estimated to have a 12-15% chance of having lead-based paint somewhere in the structure. However, going back in time from there shows that the percentages of homes with lead are increasing rapidly.
The risks of having lead paint in the home depend on its condition. If it’s not cracking, chipping, peeling, or chalking, it’s not a huge risk at all. If it is in good condition, it should be left alone rather than removed; removing it will create more danger than leaving it.
However, if it IS failing in any of the ways mentioned above, it may be a human health risk. In adults, ingestion or inhalation of lead dust or chips can cause neurological problems, mental problems, abdominal discomfort, fertility problems, and bone and joint pain. However, if detected relatively early, these are almost completely reversible. However, it is a different story with children. The human brain is still developing until about 6 years old, and any damage to the brain from lead exposure before this age is usually permanent.
In terms of home lead testing, that’s a bit tricky. The three main lead testing methods are 1) chemical testing, 2) chip sampling, and 3) XRF. Chemical testing involves rubbing a chemically treated stick to a surface and it turns a certain color if lead is present. However, the false positives with this test are very high, its use requires that cuts be made in the paint films so that all layers can be sampled, which is quite destructive, and some states have even prohibited its use. .
Chip sampling involves removing them and sending them to a laboratory for analysis. This method has the highest accuracy rate, but it is even more destructive, time consuming, and must be performed by a certified sample technician because there are specific protocols that must be followed or the lab results will be meaningless. Also, the lab results are not a yes / no answer, but a number (weight or percentage) that must be interpreted.
Lastly, XRF uses a very sophisticated handheld X-ray gun to determine how much lead in paint the gun is pointing at. This method is fairly accurate and non-destructive, but the downside is that XRF can only be performed by a trained technician, the results must be interpreted by that technician, and therefore relatively expensive.
As an EPA Certified Lead Inspector, my recommendations for homeowners who want to test their home for lead are as follows:
1) It costs more for a paint company to take all the proper precautions to protect you and your family, workers, and the environment than if the paint is known to be lead-free. However, this is money well spent rather than risking permanent damage to the health of any of these parts. If you decide to assume lead or if test results confirm lead, hire a paint company to do the job right.
2) If your home was built before 1950, regardless of the size of the project, assume that lead paint is present and hire a paint company that will take all appropriate precautions. It is not worth spending the money to find out what we already know; you most likely have lead paint in your home.
3) If your home was built between 1950 and 1978 and the project is small to medium in size (less than $ 4-5,000), assume it is lead and hire a paint company that will take all appropriate precautions. The cost of the test will most likely be more than the money saved if there is no lead-based paint in your home.
4) If your home was built between 1950 and 1978 and the project is large (over $ 5,000), it may make sense to have a certified inspector / risk assessor / industrial hygienist review your home. Their prices can range between $ 350 and $ 600 for a residential project, but the savings that will be obtained by determining that the house does NOT contain lead will be as much or more.
5) Don’t believe a painting contractor if they say they will test for lead. Chemical bars are too inaccurate to trust, and XRF and chip sampling require special certifications in almost every state – certifications that almost no painting contractor has.
