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Frequently Asked Questions

Who Should Do the Testing?

Testing to determine the presence of lead in paint, dust, water, and soil is best done by trained professionals. Both Troy and Candi Hilton are EPA Certified Lead Inspectors. Certified under Section 402 of TSCA

How do you test for lead in paint

To thoroughly analyze the paint in your home, each different painted surface should be tested. Different paints may have been used on walls, window frames, doors, and so on. Paints may also differ from room to room. Your home's painted surfaces, both inside and outside, should be tested separately.

Professional testing companies use two basic methods to measure lead in paint:

1) X-ray fluorescence (XRF) uses portable detectors that X-ray a painted surface to measure the amount of lead in all the layers of paint. This type of testing is done in the home and disturbs little, if any, paint.
2) Laboratory testing of paint samples involves removing samples of paint from each surface to be tested, usually from an area of about two square inches. Samples are sent to EPA Certified laboratories for analysis. This method leaves a bare spot on each surface tested.

Do-it-yourself test kits are commercially available. These kits do not tell you how much lead is present, however, and their reliability at detecting low levels of lead has not been determined. Professional testing for lead in paint is recommended.

Florida Lead Testing utilizes XRF technology for our surface by surface inspections. Lab samples are collected if needed for additional information. or for dust wipe testing after a renovation. Dust Wipes testing after a renovation will determine if the property was clean properly after the renovations.

How do you test for Lead in Household Dust

Household dust may contain tiny particles of lead released from lead-painted surfaces inside the home or tracked in with lead-contaminated soil from outside. The recommended sampling method for dust is the surface wet wipe. Dust samples are collected from different surfaces, such as bare floors, window sills, and window wells. Each sample is collected from a measured surface area using a wet wipe, which is sent to a laboratory for testing. Dust Wipes testing after a renovation will determine if the property was clean properly after the renovations.

How do you test for Lead in Water

Household drinking water may contain lead, usually from old pipes that contain lead or from lead solder in plumbing. Water samples can be collected directly from the faucet. Two samples are usually collected. One sample is taken from water that has been standing in the plumbing lines overnight or for eight hours or longer, and a second sample is taken after letting the water run for several minutes to flush the lines. The water samples are then sent to a laboratory for analysis.

How do you test for Lead in Soil

Lead may be present in the soil around your home and near streets and highways close to your home. To test soil for lead, samples are taken from areas near your home where children play and from areas that contain soil likely to be tracked into your home.The soil samples are sent to laboratories for analysis.

How much does a lead inspection cost?
Lead inspections vary depending on the scope of the project. See our brochure for a starting point.

Do test results from a certified renovator using an EPA recognized test kit (40 CFR § 745.83) become an official part of the lead-based paint testing record for that house thus negating the need for a certified lead inspector or certified lead risk assessor to conduct the inspection in that area of the house? Can a certified renovator conduct a complete lead-based paint inspection and give the property owner as an inspection report?

The results of paint testing using test kits are part of the official lead-based paint testing record for a home, and must be disclosed under EPA's Real Estate Disclosure regulation (40 CFR part 745, subpart F). However, EPA's regulations only provide for a certified inspector or risk assessor to conduct a lead-based paint inspection and to prepare a lead-based paint inspection report. Thus, allowing renovators to test components does not negate the requirement that a certified inspector or risk assessor follow the requirements set forth in § 745.227(b) when conducting a lead-based paint inspection.