DO YOU REALLY WANT TO TEST FOR LEAD PAINT?
Here's what you should know:
- If the home is built prior to 1978 and interior finishes have not been COMPLETELY removed at some point, assume there is lead based paint inside the home. The EPA says this is the simplest and safest approach.
- The EPA says to encapsulate.
- The method for testing for presence of lead in paint is a cut test
- Now we’ve damaged property (seller to sign off)
- We’ve also negated the encapsulation that EPA suggests.
OUR RECOMMENDATION
- Assume there is lead in the paint unless you know for certain otherwise.
- Provided it is in good condition, you are not at risk.
- When significant renovations or alterations are done that disturb the surface, treat these areas as you would if it tested positive for lead.
TESTING CHALLENGES
- We may cut in the "wrong" area (lead-free result, but does not represent the whole home)
- We may cut in the only "right" area (positive for lead, but isolated)
- Cutting to test can damage the finish (upsets seller)
- Cutting exposes the paint (exposes lead that was safely encapsulated otherwise)
- If the material is in poor condition is the only time testing is recommended (this is for peace of mind and we recommend assuming it is lead anyway).
CONCLUSION
We would love to take your money for a simple lead test. More importantly, we believe in providing value and believing in what we sell. If you follow our simple guideline here, maybe the $50 could be spent on a coat for the homeless. We’ll match you!
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