Homes with Lead Paint

Lead paint is not an issue in newer homes. However, if your house was built before 1970, the chances are pretty good that the paint contains lead. Now, don’t freak out and think all is doomed. Or that, you need to fork over $10,000 dollars for an HAZMAT crew.

First of all, you need to know that my house was built in 1954 and is in desperate need of painting. I asked two professional painters to take a look at my house and let me know how much it would cost to paint the house. The first one told me my house needed to be tested for lead in the paint. He had a company he used, and the cost was around $175. The next painter was even worse. He scared me to death with easily a $10,000 clean-up bill before my house will ever see new paint. After the last painter left, my husband and I looked at each other and started arguing about money problems. Whose fault it is that we’re not millionaires. We were acting crazy.

So, I took a deep breath, “I am going to research this issue with lead paint. There has to be an alternative.”

First, we needed to find out if your home actually does have lead in its paint. I didn’t want to spend a lot of money, so I did my research and discovered a lead testing kit at Home Depot for only $10.00. The kit is called 3M Instant Lead Check Test and comes in 2 swabs or 8 swabs packages. It is really easy to use. If you are not sure how to use it when you bring it home, Home Depot has a video at their website on how to use the kit produced by the manufacturer of this test kit.

I bought the two swabs kit for $10.00 because that is the only size Home Depot had available. Besides, I figured if one or two areas are hot, I don’t have to bother testing other areas. I figure, in the long run I am saving money. But, if neither area comes up hot, then I will need to decide if I should test other areas.

Lo and behold the two spots I tested, which was the most obvious and chipped paint around the exterior, the test came up negative, no lead. I am so happy, but I am going to get another test kit and check two other areas around the exterior of the house. If they prove negative like the first two spots, I know we are relatively safe to prep and paint our home.

I went to our neighborhood hardware store, Hollywood Hardware, and purchased a different lead testing kit, First Alert, because the store is closer to my home I thought it would be a good idea to try a different test to make sure my house is lead free. The kit offers 4 tests at $13.00, not bad compared to the 3M test kit.

I tested two separate areas and no lead. I really don’t feel like I need to test any other exterior areas. It is really hard for me to believe that there is no lead paint on the exterior part of my home. One of the prior owners must have had the lead paint cleaned up.