Lead paint in pre-1978 homes: when to test, renovate safely or abate

Why does 1978 matter for lead paint?

Lead paint was common in homes built before 1978. AES says lead was used as a drying agent and pigment in oil-based paint until 1978. Missouri DHSS says any housing built before 1978 may be considered suspect, and pre-1950 homes are most likely to contain it.

Many St. Louis neighborhoods have housing from those decades. DHSS gives Missouri-specific estimates, shown below. These are state estimates, not a test of your house. Only a licensed inspection or risk assessment can tell you what is on your walls.

If you are buying, renting out or renovating a house in this range, plan for lead. Older homes can also hold other legacy materials. Our guide to asbestos in older St. Louis homes covers that side of the same checkup.

Is lead paint dangerous if it is not peeling?

Intact lead paint is a lower risk, but it can turn hazardous. AES says lead paint in good condition is typically not a hazard. The danger rises when paint deteriorates, when surfaces take wear, or when a renovation breaks paint into dust and chips.

AES lists the situations where lead paint is likely to be hazardous:

• Paint that is peeling, chipping, chalking or cracking.
• Paint on surfaces with heavy wear, such as windows, window sills, doors, door frames, stairs, stair rails, hardwood floors, porches and fences.
• Paint on surfaces being renovated.
• Paint in multi-family buildings, where one problem can affect many families.
• Lead in the soil around a building.

The people at risk matter. The City of St. Louis says children under six are at greatest risk of ingesting lead dust from deteriorating lead-based paint. AES says children can be exposed by putting lead-contaminated hands or objects in their mouths, eating paint chips or playing in contaminated soil. It adds that lead can harm a developing fetus, so pregnant women should avoid contact with lead paint, dust and chips.

The City says lead, when ingested, can cause serious health problems including nervous system and kidney damage as well as learning disabilities. For more detail on health effects, see AES’s lead paint facts page.

How do I test for lead paint?

Use a licensed professional. In Missouri, paint chip sampling must be performed by a licensed lead-based paint inspector or risk assessor, per DHSS. Do not scrape paint yourself to send to a lab. Scraping creates the dust you are trying to avoid.

There are four routes, and they answer different questions.

The City’s free inspections apply to residential City properties where children under six or a pregnant woman reside. When hazards are found, owners may apply for financial assistance. The City bases assistance on the income of occupants, whether children under six live there and whether the owner occupies the property. Request an inspection through the City’s online form or call CSB at 622-4800.

Outside that program, DHSS says to use a licensed professional. Its Missouri licensed professionals list is on the DHSS lead licensing page.

When does the EPA renovation rule apply?

The RRP rule applies when someone is paid to disturb paint in a home, childcare facility or preschool built before 1978. EPA says those workers must be certified and trained in lead-safe work practices. If you hire a contractor for a pre-1978 home, EPA recommends choosing a lead-safe certified one.

Missouri DHSS describes the threshold. The RRP rule covers work that affects more than 6 square feet of painted surface inside or 20 square feet outside. The contractor must be a certified renovation firm and use a certified renovator for the employee.

Ask any renovation contractor for their EPA firm certification before work starts. Do it in writing, and ask how they will contain dust and clean up. Removal of lead hazards is different, as the next section shows.

Should I test, renovate safely or abate?

Pick by purpose. Test when you do not know what is there. Renovate safely when lead is present and you are remodeling anyway. Abate when you need to remove or permanently control a lead hazard. Abatement requires a DHSS license in Missouri.

DHSS lists abatement strategies as removal, replacement, enclosure and encapsulation. The RRP rule did not change the abatement rules. Anyone doing abatement must still be licensed by DHSS and give the Department notice as required.

Our post on who needs a Missouri lead abatement license explains how the two systems differ.

Who can do lead abatement in Missouri?

A lead abatement contractor licensed by Missouri DHSS, using licensed workers and supervisors. DHSS says lead-based paint abatement should be performed only by licensed lead abatement contractors and individuals. The same department also licenses inspectors, risk assessors and project designers.

DHSS explains how its licensing works. People attend training from a DHSS-accredited provider to become licensed. DHSS also licenses the companies that employ them, and it makes random inspections of those contractors for compliance with state rules and work practice standards. Ask any contractor for their DHSS license number and check it against the DHSS list of licensed lead professionals.

Advanced Environmental Services lists lead paint remediation among its services for residential, commercial and industrial customers in St. Louis, St. Charles, and Columbia, Missouri. Ask AES about the scope of a lead job and who performs each part.

What can I do right now to reduce lead dust?

Keep dust down with damp cleaning and do not disturb paint. AES lists four steps: wipe flat surfaces such as window sills with a damp paper towel, mop smooth floors with a damp mop, vacuum carpets and upholstery, and carefully pick up loose paint chips.

These steps reduce exposure. They do not remove lead paint. AES says removing lead paint improperly can increase dust and raise the health risk for you and your family. Never dry-sand, scrape, power-wash or burn old paint. If paint is flaking in a home with children or a pregnant woman, call for an inspection instead of cleaning it away yourself.

A HEPA filter vacuum captures fine dust that ordinary vacuums blow back into the air. Professional crews use HEPA-filtered equipment for this reason.

What health effects should families know about?

Lead harms the brain and nervous system, and children face the most risk. AES says infants and children under six are most at risk for serious complications, including learning disabilities, hearing loss and damage to the brain or other vital organs. Pregnant women should avoid contact with lead paint and dust.

AES says even low levels can slow fetal development. It adds that adults can have irritability, poor muscle coordination, nerve damage and higher blood pressure. Symptoms differ by age. AES says children may show no symptoms of lead poisoning, while common adult symptoms include headaches, stomachaches, nausea and tiredness.

Because a child may look fine, a blood test is the only way to know. Talk to your child’s doctor if you live in a pre-1978 home with peeling paint. This guide is not medical advice.

What does a professional lead job include?

AES describes professional lead remediation as removing lead paint, paint chips and lead dust from residential, commercial and industrial buildings. Missouri adds licensing and notice rules on top. A proper job controls dust first, because disturbing paint creates the hazard.

Look for these elements in any proposal:

Industrial work can also create lead. AES says industrial activities may produce lead or lead by-products that contaminate buildings, soil or water. Those cases call for remediation, too.

What questions should I ask a lead contractor?

Ask for proof first, then ask how they work. A good contractor answers each question in writing without hesitation. Use these before you sign anything.

1. Are you EPA RRP certified, and can I see the firm certificate? This applies to paid work that disturbs paint in a pre-1978 home.
2. Is the abatement contractor licensed by Missouri DHSS? DHSS lists licensed lead professionals on its site.
3. Who tested the paint? In Missouri, paint chip sampling must come from a licensed inspector or risk assessor.
4. What is the plan for dust control and cleanup?
5. What will you do with my family during the work? Ask where children and pregnant women should stay.
6. What do I receive at the end? Ask for a written record of what was done.

Next step

If you have a pre-1978 home with peeling paint or plan a renovation, call AES at (314) 865-2662 or use the quote form at /contact. See the lead abatement page for what AES offers across St. Louis, St. Charles, and Columbia, Missouri.