How to Test for Lead Paint in Your Home

At Matthews’ Painting Company, safety is built into every step of our process— and we take special consideration when it comes to working on older homes. If your home was built before 1978, there’s a possibility that the existing paint may contain lead. In this post, we will walk through how to test for lead-based paint, what a positive test means for your project, and how our professional crews handle lead safely and in compliance with EPA regulations.

Lead exposure can cause serious health issues, particularly for children, and must be handled with care. That’s why lead testing is part of our standard training process for every employee, and why we follow strict protocols to protect both your home and our team during prep and painting.

Why Lead Paint Testing Matters

Lead was commonly used in residential paint until it was banned in 1978. However, we’ve encountered lead-based paint in homes built as late as the early 1980s. If your home has original paint, especially if it’s cracking, peeling, or chipping, it’s important to test the surface before disturbing it. Learn more about why lead is dangerous in the home from the EPA Lead Guide.

How to Test for Lead Paint

We use EPA-recognized lead test kits—easy-to-use swab kits available at most hardware stores. Here’s how the process works:

1. Break the Reactant Tubes
   Squeeze the marked points labeled “A” and “B” to activate the chemicals inside the test swab. You’ll hear a pop when each breaks.
2. Shake the Tube
   Shake the swab thoroughly to mix the components.
3. Apply to Paint Sample
   Rub the solution directly on the surface. Note: Other test kits have swabs you get wet and rub on the pain chip directly. If the swab turns pink or red, that indicates the presence of lead.

When using a Lead Test Kit Remember: Red or pink means lead is present.

We often demonstrate this using a paint chip from an older home compared to a sample from a newer can of paint. The color change makes it easy to tell which contains lead.

Watch owner Jason Matthews demonstrate how to use a Lead Test Kit Here!

For details on approved test kits and testing regulations, visit the EPA Lead Test Kit page.

What Happens If Lead Is Found in My Home?

If we detect lead in the existing paint, we adjust our prep and cleanup process to meet (as close as we can) EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) guidelines:

• No Pressure Washing: Pressure washing is seldom allowed on lead-painted surfaces because paint chips cannot be fully contained. Instead, we hand wash the home using a gentler, more controlled approach.
• Containment: We lay down and secure plastic sheeting—usually about 20 feet out from the home—to catch any paint chips that fall during scraping or sanding.
• Proper Disposal: At the end of each day, the plastic is rolled up carefully, sealed in heavy-duty trash bags (goose-necked and taped shut), and brought back to our shop for disposal in an approved dumpster.

Learn more about lead-safe work practices on the EPA’s Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Program page.

Protective Gear and Safety Precautions when working with Lead Paint

Our painters are trained to wear the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when working around lead:

• Disposable gloves and coveralls to prevent skin exposure
• Protective eyewear
• 3M respirators fitted with pink filters (suitable for filtering lead dust and particulates)

We also recommend keeping children and pets away from work areas where lead paint may be present. For more information on health effects and safety tips, visit the CDC’s Lead Poisoning Prevention page.

Trust the Lead-Safe Painting Experts

At Matthews’ Painting Company, our painters are full-time employees, not subcontractors, who are trained in EPA-certified lead-safe practices. From the moment we arrive on-site to the final cleanup, we are committed to protecting your home, your family, and our crew.

If your home was built before 1978 and you are planning a painting project, schedule a lead test first—or let us handle it for you as part of our comprehensive prep and painting services.

Professional Painting & Home Services You Can Trust

For over 27 years, Matthews’ Painting has been the trusted choice for homeowners across Northern Indiana. From interior and exterior painting to wallpaper removal, power washing, deck staining, log cabin refinishing, carpentry, and more—our expert crews deliver lasting results with exceptional care.

Let us help your business look its best this season. Call 574-834-3575 or schedule your free estimate online.

Proudly Serving Northern Indiana

We proudly serve homeowners and businesses in:
Albion, Atwood, Bourbon, Bremen, Burket, Churubusco, Claypool, Columbia City, Cromwell, Culver, Elkhart, Etna Green, Fort Wayne, Goshen, Kendallville, Kimmel, Larwill, Leesburg, Ligonier, Mentone, Middlebury, Milford, Millersburg, Nappanee, New Paris, North Manchester, North Webster, Pierceton, Plymouth, Rochester, Silver Lake, South Whitley, Syracuse, Wakarusa, Warsaw, Wawaka, and Winona Lake.