Lead Testing Guidelines: Paint, Dust, Soil, Water and Blood

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Lead can reach people through several routes at once: deteriorating paint, the dust it creates, contaminated soil, plumbing that leaches into drinking water, and occasionally hobbies, jobs or imported products. Each route has its own test, its own guideline and its own agency behind that guideline. That is why “lead testing” means something different to a renovator holding a swab, a risk assessor with a dust-wipe kit, a water utility and a pediatrician ordering a blood test. This guide organizes the main lead testing guidelines by what is being tested, explains which method fits which situation, and points to the federal sources behind each one. It is written for homeowners, buyers, landlords and parents on the Colorado Front Range, where a large share of older neighborhoods in Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins and Colorado Springs predate 1978. It is general information, not medical or legal advice; for a child’s health, talk to a healthcare provider, and for regulatory questions, confirm with the agency that runs the program in your area.

Part of our Lead Paint & Lead Testing guide — start there for the full picture →

Why Lead Testing Starts With the Building’s Age

The single most useful screening fact about a home is its construction date. EPA’s page on lead abatement, inspection and risk assessment explains that in 1978 the federal government banned the sale of lead-based paint for use in homes, childcare facilities and preschools, and that approximately three-quarters of U.S. homes built before 1978 still contain some lead-based paint. The same page says children can live safely in these homes as long as paint and surfaces are in good condition and surfaces are kept clean, and that the key is keeping children from coming into contact with lead.

EPA goes on to explain that paint becomes a hazard when it is not maintained and begins to deteriorate, peel, chip or crack, and that old or worn lead-based paint, especially on friction surfaces such as doors and window sills, can produce chips and dust that become a hazard when inhaled or ingested. EPA also states that the only way to know for certain whether a building has lead-based paint or lead hazards is to have it tested.

So the first guideline is simple: if a home was built before 1978, treat painted surfaces as potentially containing lead until testing says otherwise, especially before sanding, scraping, demolition or window replacement. Our lead paint hub collects related guides, and the broader asbestos and lead pillar covers both legacy hazards together. If you are trying to judge an older surface by eye first, our article on how to tell if paint contains lead explains the visual clues and their limits.

Paint: Test Kits, XRF and Laboratory Analysis

Paint testing answers one question: does this painted surface contain lead at or above the regulated level? There are three main ways to answer it.

EPA-recognized test kits

Chemical spot-test kits are the fastest and cheapest option. EPA’s lead test kits page explains that the 2008 Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule set performance criteria for test kits as an option to determine whether regulated lead-based paint is not present. EPA defines the regulated level on that page as 1.0 milligram per square centimeter or 0.5% by weight. According to EPA, a recognized kit used by a trained professional can reliably determine that regulated lead-based paint is not present by virtue of a negative result.

The wording matters. EPA’s page says that, to date, no kit has met both the negative-response and positive-response criteria in the rule, and that the recognized kits meet the negative-response criterion. In plain terms, a negative result from a recognized kit used properly by a certified renovator is meaningful, but a positive result is less conclusive, because kits can react to paint below the regulated level. EPA also notes that recognition applies to specific surfaces for specific kits. Hardware-store kits sold to consumers may or may not be the recognized versions. Our guide to the lead test kit options explains what each type can and cannot tell you, and our article on a positive lead paint test covers what to do next.

XRF analyzers

Portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzers measure lead in paint non-destructively, through multiple layers, and report a reading in milligrams per square centimeter. Certified lead inspectors and risk assessors commonly use XRF because it produces many readings quickly without removing paint, which makes whole-house inspections practical. The instruments are expensive and are operated by trained, licensed professionals, so XRF is a professional service rather than a do-it-yourself option.

Paint-chip laboratory analysis

A professional can also remove a small paint sample, through all layers, and send it to a laboratory. EPA’s inspection page says EPA established the National Lead Laboratory Accreditation Program (NLLAP) to recognize labs that demonstrate the ability to accurately analyze paint chips, dust or soil samples for lead. Lab analysis is slower than XRF and damages the surface slightly, but it is useful where XRF is unavailable or readings are inconclusive.

Which paint method is least expensive?

Searchers often ask which method is cheapest. Spot-test kits usually cost the least per test, laboratory paint-chip analysis is typically moderate per sample, and XRF has the highest equipment cost but is often the most economical way to test many surfaces in one visit because no lab fees are added per reading. The “cheapest” choice therefore depends on how many surfaces need testing and how much certainty is required. For typical professional pricing, see our guide to lead-based paint inspection cost.

Inspection Versus Risk Assessment

EPA draws a clear line between two professional services that people often confuse. On its inspection and risk assessment page, EPA says a lead-based paint inspection tells you if a building has lead-based paint and where it is located, but won’t tell you whether the building currently has lead hazards or how to deal with them. A lead-based paint risk assessment, by contrast, tells you if a building has any lead hazards from paint, dust or soil, and what actions to take to address them.

In practice:

• Choose an inspection when you need a surface-by-surface inventory of where lead-based paint exists, for example before a renovation, when buying a property you plan to remodel, or when a landlord wants to document lead-free components.
• Choose a risk assessment when you need to know whether people, especially young children, are currently being exposed, for example when a child has an elevated blood lead level, paint is deteriorating, or a family with a toddler is moving into an older home.
• Some professionals offer a combination, which inventories lead-based paint and evaluates current hazards in one visit.

EPA states that it requires individuals and firms who perform lead-based paint inspections, risk assessments and abatement in pre-1978 target housing and child-occupied facilities to be certified and follow specific work practices. The same page explains that EPA runs the program directly only in states and territories that are not authorized to operate their own, and lists those places. Colorado is not on that list, which suggests an authorized state program applies there; confirm current certification rules with the state before hiring. Our guide to lead inspection explains how to find and vet a certified professional.

Dust and Soil: Wipes, Reportable Levels and Action Levels

Lead dust is often the most direct route of exposure for young children, who put hands and toys in their mouths. Dust testing is therefore central to risk assessments and to clearance after abatement.

How dust-wipe testing works

A trained risk assessor wipes a measured area of a floor, window sill or window trough with a specialized wipe, seals it and sends it to an accredited laboratory. The lab reports a loading in micrograms of lead per square foot. Methods for choosing locations and the number of samples vary by protocol, so ask the assessor which protocol they follow. Home dust-wipe kits exist, but their results are only as good as the sampling technique and the laboratory behind them.

EPA’s dust-lead standards

EPA updated its dust-lead standards in October 2024. According to EPA’s hazard standards and clearance levels page, the final rule replaced the former dust-lead hazard standards (10 µg/ft² on floors and 100 µg/ft² on window sills) with dust-lead reportable levels set at any reportable level as analyzed by an NLLAP-recognized laboratory. EPA says this reflects the fact that no level of lead in blood has been found to be safe for children.

The same rule lowered the post-abatement levels, now called dust-lead action levels, from 10 to 5 µg/ft² for floors, from 100 to 40 µg/ft² for window sills, and from 400 to 100 µg/ft² for window troughs. EPA explains how the two sets of numbers work together: when dust-lead loadings are at or above the action levels, EPA recommends abatement; when loadings are at or above the reportable levels but below the action levels, EPA does not recommend abatement based on dust alone but instead recommends best practices such as HEPA vacuuming and regular cleaning of hard surfaces with a damp cloth and an all-purpose cleaner. After an abatement, EPA says testing is required to confirm dust-lead levels are below the action levels before the work can be considered complete.

Implementation timelines for rules like this can take time to flow through authorized state programs, so ask your risk assessor which standards they are applying.

Soil

Soil near older painted exteriors, driveways and play areas can hold lead from flaking paint and historic sources. EPA’s risk assessment description includes soil among the hazards a risk assessment evaluates, and EPA’s hazard standards page covers paint, dust and soil. Soil sampling usually involves collecting composite samples from bare soil in play areas and along the drip line of the house for laboratory analysis. Soil standards and recommended responses have also been under review, so rely on your assessor and the current program rules for the specific numbers. Practical steps such as covering bare soil with mulch or sod and using doormats are common, low-cost ways to reduce tracking while results are pending.

Water: Utility Data, Certified Labs and Plumbing Clues

Drinking water is a separate system with its own rules under the Safe Drinking Water Act. EPA’s basic information about lead in drinking water explains that lead enters water when plumbing materials containing lead corrode, and that the most common sources are lead pipes, faucets and fixtures. EPA says lead service lines, where present, are typically the most significant source, and that lead pipes are more likely in older cities and in homes built before 1986. In homes without lead service lines, EPA says the most common problem is brass or chrome-plated brass faucets and plumbing with lead solder.

EPA has set the maximum contaminant level goal for lead in drinking water at zero, a non-enforceable health goal, because lead can be harmful even at low exposure levels. EPA’s testing guidance follows a sequence:

• Start with your utility. EPA says your local water authority is always your first source for testing and identifying lead contamination in tap water, and that community water systems must deliver an annual Consumer Confidence Report by July 1 each year.
• Test your tap. Because you cannot see, taste or smell dissolved lead, EPA says testing is the only sure way to know. EPA advises getting a list of certified laboratories from your state or local drinking water authority and says testing costs between $20 and $100.
• Private wells. EPA suggests checking with the health department or nearby utilities that use groundwater for information on contaminants of concern.

While waiting for results, EPA lists steps such as using a filter certified to remove lead, cleaning faucet aerators, using only cold water for drinking, cooking and baby formula, and flushing pipes before drinking; it also notes that boiling water does not remove lead. Our guide to safe levels of lead in water explains how results in parts per billion are reported and interpreted.

Blood: CDC Guidance for Children

Environmental tests show where lead is; a blood test shows whether a person has absorbed it. CDC’s page on testing for lead poisoning in children says a blood lead test is the best way to find out if a child has lead poisoning, and that a child with lead poisoning may not have visible signs or symptoms.

CDC’s guidance includes several points parents can act on:

• Who should be tested. CDC says all children at risk for lead exposure should be tested, and lists risk factors including living in or spending time in a building built before 1978 and living with someone whose work or hobbies involve lead.
• Medicaid schedule. CDC says children enrolled in Medicaid are required to be tested at 12 and 24 months, and between 24 and 72 months if they have no record of testing.
• Types of test. A finger-prick or heel-prick (capillary) test is usually the first step and gives fast results but can read high if lead on the skin contaminates the sample. A venous draw is used to confirm.
• Reference value. CDC uses a blood lead reference value of 3.5 µg/dL to identify children with higher blood lead levels than most U.S. children, while stating that no safe level of lead in children has been identified.

A blood test does not tell you where the lead came from. When a child’s level is elevated, a risk assessment of the home, including paint, dust, soil and water, is the usual next step. Our pediatric lead test guide walks parents through the process.

Which Test for Which Situation

The table below matches common situations to the right test. Guideline sources are attributed only where this guide verified the source page; other entries are general practice.

Sequencing tests sensibly

Testing works best in a logical order rather than all at once. For a family with young children in an older home, a reasonable sequence is a blood test through the child’s healthcare provider, a check of the utility’s water report and a tap test, and then a risk assessment if paint is deteriorating or the blood result is elevated. For a renovation, the order is different: identify which components will be disturbed, test those components with XRF, lab analysis or a recognized kit, and plan lead-safe work practices before any demolition begins. After any abatement, clearance dust-wipe testing comes last. Matching the test to the decision you need to make keeps costs down and avoids results that do not answer the real question.

Keep copies of every result, the name and certification number of the professional who collected the samples, and the laboratory report. That documentation helps with future renovations, rental compliance and resale, and it lets later professionals compare readings over time.

Pre-1978 Homes, Renovation and Disclosure

Most lead testing guidelines converge on homes built before 1978. Before renovating, assume painted surfaces may contain lead unless a certified professional or a properly used recognized kit shows otherwise; renovation work that disturbs paint in pre-1978 housing generally falls under EPA’s RRP framework, which calls for certified firms and lead-safe work practices.

When buying or renting, disclosure rules apply. EPA’s hazard standards page notes that sellers and lessors of target housing must disclose information about lead-based paint hazards under the Section 1018 real estate disclosure regulations of the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992. Disclosure is not the same as testing: a seller must share what is known, but is not generally required to test. Buyers often have an opportunity to arrange a lead inspection or risk assessment before the contract becomes final. Our guide to the lead-based paint disclosure year explains which homes are covered.

If testing confirms lead, the path forward depends on condition and occupants. Our article on what to do if your house has lead paint covers interim controls, encapsulation, enclosure and abatement, and our overview of lead testing compares services side by side.

References

• Lead Abatement, Inspection and Risk Assessment — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Hazard Standards and Clearance Levels for Lead in Paint, Dust and Soil — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Lead Test Kits — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Testing for Lead Poisoning in Children — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Have an older Front Range home and not sure which lead test fits your situation? Get in touch and we can help you choose a starting point.