Lead Testing, XRF Inspection & Risk Assessment

Do you need lead testing?  A case by case analysis.

The age of your home is the single best predictor of lead-based paint. Paint containing lead was banned for residential use in 1978, and the older the home, the more likely it is that original layers contain lead. Use the table below to match your situation to the right test.

Planning a remodel, window replacement, or repainting

Our Recommendation:  This depends on the size of the project.  If it’s small, your contractor may decide it’s more cost effective to assume it is positive and follow RRP principles.  If the project is more significant, test the components you plan to disturb before work begins. A negative result can exempt that work from lead-safe work practice requirements.

Preferred Test: XRF inspection, plus dust wipes if young children will live there

Buying a pre-1978 home

Our Recommendation:  Test during your inspection period. Federal law gives buyers a 10-day opportunity to test for lead before the contract is binding, unless waived.

Preferred Test: XRF inspection, plus dust wipes if young children will live there

Home built after 1978

Our Recommendation:  Lead-based paint is unlikely. Testing is rarely needed unless you have imported products, older plumbing, or soil concerns.

Preferred Test:  Usually none

Pre-1978 home in good condition, new windows & doors

Our Recommendation:  If the high friction materials have been replaced (i.e. windows and doors) and there is no peeling or deteriorating paint, the likelihood of lead exposure if less.  Testing is not inherently critical.  Waiting until a remodel project can be a sensible option.

Preferred Test:  XRF, if necessary

Young children in the home, or someone is pregnant

Our Recommendation: Children under 6 are the most vulnerable to lead exposure.  Consider a risk assessment utilizing XRF plus dust wipes.

Preferred Test: Risk assessment: XRF plus dust wipes

Paint is peeling, chipping, or chalking in pre-1978 home

Our Recommendation:  Test.  Deteriorating paint is the primary source of lead exposure in most homes.

Preferred Test: Risk assessment via XRF testing

Performing DIY sanding, scraping, or pressure washing

Our Recommendation:  Test first, unless assuming a positive result and following RRP principles. These activities create fine lead dust that spreads through the home and into soil.

Preferred Test:  XRF inspection

Growing vegetables near the house or a busy road

Our Recommendation:   Consider soil testing, especially within a few feet of the foundation.  Alternatively, consider purchasing new planting soil for the garden.  For a small garden, this can be a cost effective alternative.

Preferred Test:   Soil testing add-on

How lead paint is measured, and how to read your results

Federal regulations define lead-based paint as paint containing 1.0 milligram of lead per square centimeter (mg/cm²) or more, or 0.5% lead by weight (5,000 parts per million). In practice, this is the line between paint that triggers legal requirements for disclosure and renovation work, and paint that does not.

The two units reflect two different methods. An XRF analyzer measures how much lead is present in a given area of the painted surface, through every layer of paint down to the substrate, so it reports in mg/cm². A laboratory analyzing a paint chip measures lead as a fraction of the chip’s weight, so it reports in percent or ppm.

How XRF works

An XRF (X-ray fluorescence) analyzer directs a small, focused beam of x-rays or gamma radiation at the painted surface. When that energy strikes lead atoms in the paint, they emit secondary x-rays at energies unique to lead. The analyzer counts those emissions and calculates how much lead is present. Each reading takes seconds and leaves no mark.

Every XRF model sold for lead paint testing is evaluated against a federal Performance Characteristic Sheet (PCS). The PCS defines how the instrument should be used on different substrates (wood, drywall, plaster, metal, brick, concrete) and which readings are conclusive.

Reading an XRF result

Each line on an XRF report represents one component: a specific door, window sill, wall, or piece of trim, in a specific room. A typical result looks like this:

[Insert annotated example from James’s sample report: room, component, substrate, color, reading in mg/cm², result]

• Negative (below 1.0 mg/cm²): Not regulated lead-based paint. No lead-safe work practices required for that component.
• Positive (1.0 mg/cm² or higher): Regulated lead-based paint. Renovation that disturbs it must follow lead-safe work practices.
• Inconclusive (within the instrument’s inconclusive range): The reading is too close to the threshold to call. Your inspector retests or confirms with a lab sample.

A positive result tells you where lead is. It does not, by itself, tell you that the component is a hazard. That depends on its condition and how it’s used, which the next sections explain.

Lead testing methods compared

There are three ways to test paint for lead. For a whole-home evaluation, XRF is the standard method because it is accurate, fast, and non-destructive.

XRF analyzer

• Measures: Lead per area through all paint layers (mg/cm²).
• Accuracy: High, when used according to the instrument’s Performance Characteristic Sheet.
• Damage to surface:
• Turnaround: Seconds per reading, on-site.
• Sample count: 60 to 70 readings per hour; a whole home in one visit.
• Regulatory standing: Yes, when performed by a certified inspector or risk assessor.
• Best use: Whole-home inspections, pre-purchase, and pre-remodel testing.

XRF stands for X-ray fluorescence. XRF analyzers irradiate the surface with x-rays or gamma rays and measure the characteristic fluorescence emitted by lead atoms, reporting lead loading in mg/cm². Federal regulations define lead-based paint as ≥1.0 mg/cm².  Unlike paint chip sampling, XRF guns provide test results in about 30 seconds.  No sending samples off to a lab and waiting days for your results.

Paint chip (lab analysis)

• Measures: Lead by weight in a removed sample (% or ppm).
• Accuracy: High, if the sample is collected correctly through all layers.
• Damage to surface: A full-depth chip is cut from every sample location.
• Turnaround: Several days for lab results.
• Sample count: A few samples before cost and damage add up.
• Regulatory standing: Yes, when collected by a certified inspector or risk assessor.
• Best use: One or two components, or confirming an inconclusive XRF reading.

Paint chip sampling used to be the standard method for lead testing. However, that technique is destructive and requires sanding or scrapping a portion of the paint. Additionally, those samples must then be sent to a lab to an analyzed which puts remodeling on hold for several days until the testing is complete.

Chemical spot-test (swab style) kit

• Measures: A color change on contact with lead.
• Accuracy: Reliable only for ruling lead out, on specific surfaces.
• Damage to surface: The surface is cut or scored.
• Turnaround:
• Sample count: One component at a time.
• Regulatory standing: Negative results only, by a certified renovator, on recognized surfaces.
• Best use: A contractor ruling out lead on a few components before a small job.

Chemical spot-test kits use a reagent that changes color on contact with lead. EPA recognizes three kits under the Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule: LeadCheck (Luxfer Magtech), D-Lead, and the State of Massachusetts kit. Recognition is narrow. These kits are recognized only for confirming that lead-based paint is absent, only on specific substrates (wood, ferrous metal, drywall, and plaster), and only when used by a certified renovator, inspector, or risk assessor. No kit has met EPA’s criterion for reliably confirming that lead-based paint is present, so positive results are prone to false positives.

Should I use a home test kit?

Usually not, if you need a reliable answer. EPA recognizes three spot-test kits under its Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule: LeadCheck (now made by Luxfer Magtech), D-Lead, and the State of Massachusetts kit. That recognition is narrow:

• Negative results only. No kit has met EPA’s criterion for reliably confirming that lead is present. Positive results are prone to false positives.
• Specific surfaces only. Recognition covers wood, ferrous metal, drywall, and plaster. Kits can’t be used for compliance on stucco, non-ferrous metals like aluminum, or other surfaces.
• Certified users only. EPA recognizes results only when the kit is used by a certified renovator, inspector, or risk assessor. A homeowner’s result has no regulatory standing.

A false positive can cost more than a professional test, because it leads contractors to apply lead-safe work practices that weren’t needed. For pre-purchase decisions or whole-home questions, use XRF.

Source: EPA, Lead Test Kits

Is intact lead paint dangerous?

Lead-based paint in good condition, on a surface nobody touches or disturbs, is a low immediate risk. The hazard comes from lead that becomes dust or chips, because that’s what people swallow or breathe. Most lead poisoning in children comes from ingesting household dust, not from chewing paint.

Three conditions turn lead paint into a hazard:

1. Paint that is peeling, chipping, cracking, or chalking releases lead particles. Exterior paint on older Western Washington homes is especially prone to this because of our wet climate.
2. Friction and impact. Windows, doors, and stair treads grind painted surfaces against each other every time they’re used. An original double-hung window can produce lead dust on the sill and in the trough below it for decades.
3. Sanding, scraping, cutting, demolition, and pressure washing create fine lead dust that spreads through a home and settles into soil around the foundation.

This is why two homes with identical XRF results can have very different risk. A 1925 home with replacement windows and well-maintained walls may present little hazard. The same home with original windows and peeling exterior paint may need attention now.

A risk assessment evaluates exactly this: not just where lead is, but whether it’s in a condition and location that exposes the people living there.

2026 dust-lead standards: what changed and what it means

As of January 12, 2026, EPA treats any detectable amount of lead in household dust as a dust-lead hazard in pre-1978 homes and child-occupied facilities, when measured by an EPA-recognized laboratory. This replaced the previous numeric thresholds of 10 µg/ft² for floors and 100 µg/ft² for window sills.

Dust is measured with a wipe sample: a moistened, specially prepared wipe is pulled across a measured area of floor, sill, or window trough, then sent to a lab. Results are reported in micrograms of lead per square foot (µg/ft²). A microgram is one-millionth of a gram, so these are very small amounts.

EPA now uses two terms:

• Dust-lead reportable level (DLRL), previously called the dust-lead hazard standard: any level a recognized lab can reliably detect and report. At or above this level, a dust-lead hazard is present.
• Dust-lead action level (DLAL), previously called the dust-lead clearance level: the level at or above which EPA recommends abatement, and the level dust must be below for abatement work to be considered complete.

Dust-lead action levels (2026), with previous levels:

• Floors: 5 µg/ft² (previously 10 µg/ft²)
• Interior window sills: 40 µg/ft² (previously 100 µg/ft²)
• Window troughs: 100 µg/ft² (previously 400 µg/ft²)

What to do if your dust test is positive

• Below the action level: EPA recommends best practices rather than abatement. Clean floors and sills with a HEPA vacuum followed by wet wiping, keep up regular cleaning, and address any paint that is deteriorating.
• At or above the action level: Find and control the source, usually friction surfaces like windows or deteriorating paint, then clean and retest to confirm levels are below the action level.

These standards apply to risk assessments and abatement. They do not change the rules contractors follow for ordinary renovation work under the RRP Rule.

Environix offers dust-wipe sampling and post-work clearance testing.

Sources: EPA, Hazard Standards and Clearance Levels; Federal Register final rule, Nov. 12, 2024

Soil and drinking water testing (optional add-ons)

Paint is the most common source of lead in older homes, but not the only one. Soil and water testing are available as optional add-ons to any Environix lead inspection.

Soil

Lead accumulates in soil from three main sources: deteriorating exterior paint (concentrations are typically highest within 2 to 3 feet of the foundation), decades of leaded gasoline exhaust near busy roads, and historical industrial emissions such as the former Asarco smelter in Ruston, near Tacoma. Lead in soil doesn’t break down; it stays for decades unless removed or covered.

Soil-lead benchmarks:

• Natural background: Roughly 10 to 50 ppm in typical undisturbed soil. [verify range]
• EPA hazard standard, children’s play areas: 400 ppm of bare soil. [verify]
• EPA hazard standard, rest of the yard: 1,200 ppm of bare soil. [verify]
• Washington cleanup level, unrestricted land use: 250 ppm, under the state Model Toxics Control Act.

EPA plans to propose updated soil-lead hazard standards in 2026, likely lower than the current figures. We’ll update this page when it does.

Practical steps for gardeners: Plant edibles away from the foundation and roadside. Use raised beds with clean imported soil if levels are elevated. Wash produce thoroughly and peel root crops. Leafy greens and root vegetables carry more lead from soil contact than fruiting plants like tomatoes. Keep bare soil covered with mulch or grass, and use a doormat to keep soil from being tracked indoors.

Drinking water

Lead rarely comes from the water source itself. It enters drinking water from lead service lines, galvanized pipes that were once connected to lead, lead solder used on copper plumbing before 1986, and older brass fixtures. Water that sits in pipes overnight picks up the most lead.

Under EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, the lead action level for public water systems drops from 15 to 10 micrograms per liter (parts per billion) when the rule takes effect on November 1, 2027, and most lead and galvanized service lines must be replaced within 10 years. Washington’s Department of Health adopted these federal requirements into state rule in July 2026.

Practical steps: Check your water utility’s service line inventory to see whether your line is listed as lead, galvanized, or unknown. Use only cold water for drinking and cooking. If water has been sitting for several hours, run the tap until it is noticeably colder before drinking. If you have young children or are pregnant and have older plumbing, consider testing or a filter certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 53 for lead.

Sources: Washington DOH, Lead and Copper Rule Changes; Federal Register, LCRI final rule

You found lead. Now what?

Finding lead-based paint is common in older homes, and it rarely means removing it. Most homeowners address lead through routine maintenance or as part of a remodel they were already planning, using a contractor certified for lead-safe renovation.

Your options, from least to most involved

Lead-safe cleaning

• What it involves: HEPA vacuuming and wet wiping of floors, sills, and troughs.
• When it fits: Low dust levels, intact paint.
• Who does it:

Interim controls

• What it involves: Repairing deteriorated paint, treating friction and impact surfaces (for example, adjusting windows so they don’t rub), and ongoing monitoring.
• When it fits: Hazards are limited and the paint is mostly sound.
• Who does it: RRP-certified contractor.

Encapsulation

• What it involves: Coating lead paint with a specially formulated sealant.
• When it fits: Paint is in sound condition and won’t be subject to friction.
• Who does it: RRP-certified contractor.

Enclosure

• What it involves: Covering the surface with new drywall, siding, or other material.
• When it fits: Large areas where removal isn’t practical.
• Who does it: RRP-certified contractor.

Component replacement

• What it involves: Removing and replacing the painted item, such as a window, door, or trim.
• When it fits: Friction surfaces like original windows; often part of a remodel.
• Who does it: RRP-certified contractor.

Abatement

• What it involves: Work designed to permanently eliminate lead hazards, with clearance testing afterward.
• When it fits: Rare in single-family homes. Most common in historic preservation, where the goal is removing lead rather than remodeling.
• Who does it: Certified abatement firm.

The RRP Rule: what your contractor must do

In homes and child-occupied facilities built before 1978, renovation that disturbs painted surfaces must be performed by a firm certified under the Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule, which the Washington State Department of Commerce administers here. The rule applies when work disturbs more than 6 square feet of interior paint per room, more than 20 square feet of exterior paint, or involves any window replacement, unless the components being disturbed have been tested and found not to contain lead-based paint.

RRP contractors must contain the work area, avoid prohibited practices like open-flame burning and high-speed sanding without HEPA controls, and clean and verify the area before you reoccupy it. Ask any contractor for their Washington RRP firm certification before work begins.

Why your testing results matter to the contractor

A contractor may simply assume lead is present and apply lead-safe practices to everything. That’s legal, but it adds cost to components that may not contain lead. An XRF inspection identifies exactly which components are positive, so lead-safe practices go where they’re needed.

Environix does not perform lead removal or renovation work. Our inspections are independent: we have no financial interest in what your results show.

What’s included in an Environix lead inspection

A certified risk assessor tests each distinct painted component in the areas you choose: interior, exterior, or both. A typical home requires 50 to 100 XRF readings. Older homes with detailed trim, such as Craftsman-era homes with wainscoting and crown molding, require more.

Components we test in each room: walls (one reading per wall), ceiling, floor where painted, doors, door jambs and trim, windows, window sills and troughs, baseboards, wainscoting, crown molding, closet doors and walls, and built-ins. Exterior testing covers siding, trim, fascia, soffits, porches, railings, and outbuildings as requested.

Your report includes: every reading by room, component, substrate, and color, with a positive, negative, or inconclusive result; a summary of positive components; and the risk assessor’s observations and recommendations. [Confirm turnaround: report delivered within X.]

During the visit: results are available on-site, so your inspector can walk you through what was found before leaving. You can stay home during testing. XRF readings take seconds and don’t damage surfaces or create dust.

Pricing

• XRF lead inspection, first hour: $725
• Additional time: $90 per 15 minutes
• Dust-wipe sampling: [Add price]
• Clearance testing: [Add price]
• Soil testing: [Add price]
• Drinking water testing: [Add price]

The first hour covers most average-size homes. Larger homes, homes with extensive original trim, and full exterior surveys take longer. We’ll give you an estimate when you call.

Lead regulations affecting Washington homeowners

Lead rules are changing at the federal and state level. This table summarizes what applies to homeowners now. Last reviewed: [date].

Dust-lead reportable and action levels (40 CFR 745)

• Agency: EPA
• Status: In effect January 12, 2026
• What it means for you: Any detectable lead in dust is now a hazard in risk assessments, and post-work clearance levels are lower.

Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule

• Agency: EPA; administered in Washington by the Department of Commerce
• Status: In effect
• What it means for you: Contractors disturbing paint in pre-1978 homes must be RRP-certified and follow lead-safe practices.

Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Rule

• Agency: EPA and HUD
• Status: In effect
• What it means for you: Sellers and landlords of pre-1978 housing must disclose known lead and provide records. Buyers get a 10-day opportunity to test.

Washington lead-based paint rules (WAC 365-230)

• Agency: Washington State Department of Commerce
• Status: Under revision. Commerce began rulemaking in 2026 to align with federal rules and clarify RRP versus abatement work; public workshops were held in summer 2026.
• What it means for you: Watch for changes to how contractors determine whether lead is present before renovation.

Lead and Copper Rule Improvements

• Agency: EPA; adopted in Washington by the Department of Health (July 2026)
• Status: Compliance date November 1, 2027. Under legal challenge, with oral arguments held September 30, 2026.
• What it means for you: A lower lead action level for public water systems, and most lead service lines replaced within 10 years.

Soil-lead hazard standards

• Agency: EPA
• Status: EPA plans to propose updated standards in 2026.
• What it means for you: Current soil thresholds may be lowered.

For complete details, effective dates, and links to the rule text, see our [Lead Regulations Tracker] (coming soon).

Sources: EPA dust-lead final rule; WA Commerce rulemaking; WSR 26-10-064; WA DOH Lead and Copper Rule; NRDC case tracker

How lead affects health

No safe level of lead in the blood has been identified. Lead is stored in bones and soft tissue, and the body mistakes it for calcium and other essential minerals, which is how it interferes with brain development, nerve function, and other systems. Effects often develop gradually without obvious symptoms, which is why testing the home, rather than waiting for symptoms, is the reliable approach.

Children under 6 are most vulnerable. Their nervous systems are developing quickly, they absorb more of the lead they ingest than adults do, and they spend time on floors and put hands and objects in their mouths. Even low-level exposure is associated with reduced IQ, attention problems, learning difficulties, and behavioral issues. These effects can be permanent.

Pregnant women can pass lead to the developing baby, and lead stored in the mother’s bones can be released during pregnancy.

Adults exposed to higher levels can experience high blood pressure, kidney damage, fertility problems, joint and muscle pain, and memory and concentration difficulties.

When to ask about a blood lead test

A blood test is the only way to know whether a person has been exposed. CDC uses a blood lead reference value of 3.5 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) to identify children with higher exposure than most U.S. children. Ask your child’s healthcare provider about testing if your home was built before 1978 and has deteriorating paint or recent renovation, or if your child spends time in another older home or child care facility. Public Health – Seattle & King County and the Washington State Department of Health both provide guidance on childhood blood lead testing.

Source: CDC, Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention

Service areas

Environix provides lead testing throughout King, Snohomish, and Pierce Counties. For local housing data and area-specific information, see our Seattle, Tacoma, and [Lynnwood] lead testing pages.

Frequently asked questions

My home was built in 1980. Do I need lead testing? Usually not for paint. Lead-based paint was banned for residential use in 1978, and homes built after that are unlikely to contain it. Older plumbing components, imported products, and soil near busy roads can still be sources.

How long does an XRF inspection take? Most average-size homes are completed in about an hour. Larger homes, homes with extensive original trim, and full exterior surveys take longer.

Is XRF radiation a concern? No. The analyzer emits a small, narrowly focused beam only while the trigger is held against a surface. Inspectors are trained and licensed in its use, and occupants aren’t exposed in any meaningful way.

Are hardware-store lead test kits reliable? Only for ruling lead out, only on certain surfaces, and only when used by a certified professional. Positive results are prone to false positives. See Should I use a home test kit? above.

Do I need lead testing before I remodel? If your home was built before 1978, testing the components you’ll disturb is the only way to know whether lead-safe work practices are required. Without testing, your contractor must assume lead is present.

What happens if lead is found? Most homeowners address it through maintenance or as part of a planned remodel by an RRP-certified contractor. True abatement is uncommon in single-family homes. See You found lead. Now what? above.

Should I share my results with my contractor? Yes. Your report shows exactly which components contain lead, so your contractor can apply lead-safe practices where they’re required and price the job accurately.

Do I have to disclose lead test results when I sell? Yes. Federal law requires sellers of pre-1978 homes to disclose known lead-based paint and lead hazards and provide available records and reports to buyers.

Can I stay home during testing? Yes. XRF testing creates no dust and doesn’t damage surfaces.

How much does lead testing cost? $725 for the first hour, which covers most average-size homes, and $90 per additional 15 minutes. See Pricing above for add-ons.

Example XRF lead testing report

 Examples of common materials and surfaces examined during lead testing:

• Ceiling
• Walls (1 sample per wall)
• Door
• Door Jam
• Door trim
• Window (1 set per room)
• Window trim
• Window sill
• Base trim (1 per room)
• Wainscoting
• Closets (doors & walls)
• Crown molding
• Floor (if applicable)