The EPA's rule of thumb: homes built before 1978 probably contain lead-based paint.
Intact paint is low-risk; peeling, cracking, or sanded paint becomes invisible dust that children can swallow or breathe in. A certified lead inspector gives the definitive answer. If lead paint is present, never dry-sand or scrape it yourself, wet-clean dust, and use certified renovators for any disturbing work, required by US law in pre-1978 homes. Young children in older homes warrant a blood lead test from the doctor, since lead poisoning is often symptomless until harm is done.
What to do
Common questions
How do I know if my home has lead paint?
Start with the calendar. The EPA says homes built before 1978, when lead-based paints were banned, probably contain lead-based paint, and the older the house, the more layers of it. Lead paint that is intact and undisturbed is low-risk; the danger arrives when it peels, cracks, or gets sanded and turned into dust, because children can be poisoned when they swallow or breathe in lead dust, and dust is invisible. The telltale signs: paint chipping or peeling in a pre-1978 home, chalky dust on windowsills and floors, and chew marks on old woodwork. Testing is definitive: an EPA-certified lead inspector can test paint surface by surface, and home swab kits exist but are less reliable. The rules if you have it: do not dry-sand or scrape old paint yourself, keep painted surfaces intact and clean dust with wet methods, and hire certified renovators for any work that disturbs old paint, which US law requires for pre-1978 homes. If you have young children in an older home, ask your doctor about a simple blood lead test, because lead poisoning often shows no symptoms until damage is done, and kids absorb more than adults.