Lead paint in a pre-1978 home: assume it’s there, and fix spots under 6 square feet without sanding

Why old paint matters

CDC calls lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust some of the most widespread and hazardous sources of lead exposure for U.S. children. It estimates about 29 million housing units have lead-based paint hazards, and about 2.6 million of them are home to young children. [S9]

• Good paint is usually fine. EPA says lead paint in good shape is usually not a problem, and children can live safely with it as long as paint and surfaces are in good condition and kept clean. [S1]
• Rubbing surfaces make dust. Check painted parts that rub together or get lots of wear, like windows, doors and stairways. CDC says any surface where paint wears by rubbing is likely to make lead dust. [S1] [S9]
• Young kids are most at risk. EPA says lead is especially dangerous to children six and under, and no safe level in children has been identified. Effects can include learning and behavior problems, lower IQ and slowed growth. [S6]
• Dust is the usual route. EPA says the most common cause of lead exposure in the U.S. is dust from lead-based paint used before 1978 in older homes. Children can also chew painted sills and door edges, CDC says. [S6] [S9]
• Pregnancy matters too. EPA says lead can pass from a pregnant woman to her developing fetus. [S6]

Is it there?

1. Start with the year. CDC says homes built before 1978 are likely to have some lead-based paint. If you can’t tell the age, EPA says it’s safest to assume the area you’re working on has lead paint. [S9] [S2]
2. Inspection or risk assessment. A lead paint inspection tells you the lead content of every painted part of the home but not whether it’s a hazard. A risk assessment looks for serious hazards like peeling paint and lead dust and tells you what to do. [S9]
3. Ask who can test. CDC suggests asking your state or local health department about testing paint and dust. EPA says the most accurate reading comes from a certified inspector, risk assessor or certified renovator. [S9] [S5]
4. Home kits have limits. EPA recognizes three lead test kits: LeadCheck, D-Lead and the Massachusetts kit. It recognizes them only for showing that lead paint is not present, on certain surfaces, when used by a certified renovator or trained professional. EPA says no kit has yet met both of its performance criteria. [S5]

Buying a pre-1978 home? EPA says sellers must give you a lead pamphlet, disclose known lead paint and hazards, and include a Lead Warning Statement. Buyers get 10 days for a paint inspection or risk assessment, which both sides can change in writing or the buyer can waive. Landlords have the same disclosure duties for most leases. [S7]

Living with it

• Clean weekly, wet. Wipe sills, door jambs and counters with a damp sponge, cloth or paper towel, and wet mop floors. Skip steel wool, scouring pads and abrasive cleaners. [S1]
• Vacuum the right way. With no visible chips or dust, a standard vacuum is fine. With visible chips or dust, EPA says use only a HEPA vacuum and don’t dry sweep. Don’t use beater bars, scrubber strips or polishers on painted surfaces. [S1]
• Fix small spots fast. EPA says fix small areas, under 6 square feet, of damaged paint as soon as possible without sanding. If you must sand, wet the area first, sand the minimum needed and clean up thoroughly. [S1]
• Block what kids can reach. CDC says keep children away from peeling paint and chewable painted surfaces. Barriers like contact paper or duct tape can temporarily block children’s access until the hazard is fixed. Wash children’s hands often. [S9]
• Watch the soil. EPA says soil around the outside walls of older homes can hold lead from paint. Keep kids from playing in bare soil there, and use doormats and take shoes off at the door. [S1]

Sealing drafty trim in an older house? Our caulk and weatherstrip guide covers lead-safe steps for pre-1978 homes. And never paint over mold: our mold cleanup guide explains why.

Doing it yourself

EPA recommends hiring a lead-safe certified contractor for any renovation, repair or painting in a pre-1978 home. Its renovation rule generally doesn’t cover homeowners working on their own home, but it does if you rent out all or part of it, run a child care center there, or flip houses. If you do the work, EPA lists these lead-safe practices. [S2]

1. Contain the room. Move out furniture, rugs, curtains, food and clothing. Cover the floor with plastic, seal doorways, close windows, and turn off forced-air heating and cooling, then tape plastic over the vents. [S2]
2. Protect yourself. EPA lists a disposable N-100 respirator, coveralls, a painter’s hat, shoe covers, eye protection and gloves. Wash your hands and face every time you stop, and wash work clothes separately. No eating, drinking or smoking in the work area. [S2]
3. Keep the dust down. Mist surfaces before sanding, scraping, drilling or cutting. Use wet-dry sandpaper or a sanding sponge, a low-temperature heat gun under 1,100°F, chemical strippers used as directed, or power tools with HEPA vacuum attachments. [S2]
4. Bag the waste. Collect chips, dust, sheeting, rags and used gear in heavy-duty plastic bags as you go, and check local disposal rules. [S2]
5. Clean until the cloth is clean. HEPA vacuum every surface, then wipe with wet disposable cloths until the cloths come out clean. EPA’s Renovate Right pamphlet adds wet mopping with plenty of rinse water. [S2] [S8]
6. Keep family out. CDC says keep children and pregnant women away from homes being renovated and out of paint cleanup. [S9]

Painting outside from a ladder? Our ladder guide covers the 4 to 1 setup.

Methods to skip

EPA’s Renovate Right pamphlet lists three practices that certified contractors are not allowed to use on lead paint. EPA’s rule generally doesn’t cover homeowners working on their own home, but its DIY tool list stays within the same limits, and our suggestion is to treat them as off limits at home too. [S8] [S2]

• Open flame burning or torching. Prohibited for certified renovation work. [S8]
• Power sanding or grinding without a shroud. Sanding, grinding, planing, needle gunning or blasting with power tools that don’t have a shroud and HEPA vacuum attachment is prohibited. [S8]
• Very hot heat guns. Heat guns above 1,100°F are prohibited; EPA’s DIY page lists a low-temperature heat gun under 1,100°F instead. [S8] [S2]
• Dry sweeping chips. EPA’s home page says don’t dry sweep visible chips or dust; use a HEPA vacuum and wet cleaning. [S1]

Hiring someone or renting

• Paid work means certified. EPA says anyone paid to disturb paint in housing built before 1978 must be certified in lead-safe work practices, including sole proprietors. Property management companies that do this work must be certified firms too. [S3]
• Small repairs have an exemption. For paid work, minor repair and maintenance that disturbs 6 square feet or less of paint per room inside, or 20 square feet or less outside, is exempt. Window replacement and demolition of painted surfaces are covered at any size. [S4]
• Test or assume. EPA’s rule doesn’t require paint testing, but without documentation that the paint isn’t lead, the rule applies. Firms can assume lead is present and follow lead-safe practices. [S4] [S5]
• Some states run their own program. EPA runs the program in most places but has authorized some states and a tribe to run their own. [S3]
• Report a problem. EPA says to call the National Lead Information Center at 1-800-424-5323 if you suspect a problem. [S3]

Kids and pregnancy

• Most exposure has no symptoms. CDC says most children and adults exposed to lead have no symptoms, and the best way to tell is a blood lead test. [S9]
• Testing ages. EPA says CDC recommends testing children at 12 and 24 months, at a healthcare provider’s office or a lab. [S6]
• Call the doctor if worried. CDC says contact your child’s healthcare provider if you think your child has been exposed to lead. A provider can decide whether a test is needed. [S9]

Testing an older home for other hazards? Our radon test guide covers the 4 pCi/L action level.

What to do now

Pick when the home was built and what you’re facing. The answer puts the EPA and CDC steps from this page in one place. [S1] [S2] [S4]

Lead paint checklist

Quick answers