Lead Base Paint Information

The paint being made today can have .06% lead content and will be considered lead free.

I am not a certified lead abatement contractor, but I did pass the necessary courses at Oregon State University that enable me to take the state exam. When I took the classes in 2006 I did it for knowledge only, I had no intentions of pursuing a license.

Here are a couple of options for you to accurately find out how much lead paint there is in your home.

First of all, the home lead test kits are not very accurate and will not tell you how much lead is present. I would not waste my time or money on them.

Option #1 - You may be able to get a licensed lead paint inspector to come to your home and have  the paint shot with an X-ray Fluorescent Spectrum Analyzer. The instrument is placed against a painted surface and, in a very short amount of time, will report the lead content in all the layers of paint. It causes no damage to the paint or the surface. Look for these services in your Yellow Pages under "Environmental & Ecological Services".

NOTE:  You may also want the inspector to take dust samples from your floors, window sills and window wells. Also soil samples can be gathered around the home and tested as well as your tap water.

Option #2 - Remove an exact measurement of paint (like 2 inch by 2 inch) or whatever, as long as it is exact. Make sure to remove all of the layers of paint within the measured area, then put it in a plastic baggie. Look in your Yellow Pages under "Environmental & Ecological Services", ask the lab if they do lead tests on paint. It's the leach-able lead content that you really need to know if you plan on disposing of the paint (TCLP test). If you are not disposing and just want to know the lead content, then a TCLP test will not be needed, just a regular lead paint test will do. Whenever possible paint should be reported in milligrams per square centimeter not Parts Per Million.

To put it in perspective, there are a thousand milligrams in a packet of sugar. It only takes 1.0 milligrams per square centimeter to be defined as "Lead-Based Paint".

For additional information go to www.epa.gov/lead