EPA RRP CERTIFIED LEAD-BASED PAINT TESTING.
Protect your family from toxic lead dust hazards. Certified evaluation of pre-1978 historic and vintage homes: high-friction window sills, door jambs, peeling exterior trim, and accredited laboratory paint chip testing.
Meet Inspector Mack & The Secured Team
Every inspection is led directly by TREC Professional Master Inspectors using calibrated diagnostic gear. We don't just check cosmetic boxes—we map subgrade foundation movement, scan thermal anomalies through solid sheetrock, and scope subterranean lateral lines to defend your earnest money and equity.
Inspector Mack • TDLR & SPCS
Lead Paint Hazards: Pre-1978 Homes & Friction Dust
Inspector Mack breaks down why lead paint was banned in 1978 and how opening and closing vintage windows creates toxic lead dust.
"A fresh coat of latex paint over vintage trim does not eliminate lead paint. The moment an old window sash rubs against the frame, it pulverizes the underlying lead into invisible dust that contaminates the entire nursery."
WHAT WE SPECIFICALLY AUDIT & DELIVER
Our forensic checklist exceeds standard minimum requirements. Every component is rigorously evaluated and cataloged with high-resolution imagery and severity tiers:
High-Friction Window Sills & Sash Tracks
Evaluating double-hung window sashes, interior sills, parting beads, and pulleys for deteriorating and abraded paint.
Door Jambs, Stops & Threshold Friction
Checking interior and exterior door frames where rubbing action grinds paint layers into fine airborne dust particles.
Exterior Wood Siding, Fascia & Porch Posts
Inspecting peeling, flaking, alligatoring, and chalking exterior paint on vintage cypress, pine, or cedar cladding.
Baseboards, Chair Rails & Custom Moldings
Auditing multi-layered historic paint coats along floor perimeters and decorative millwork.
Vintage Kitchen & Bathroom Built-In Cabinets
Testing cabinet drawer tracks, shelf faces, and pantry doors for high-friction lead paint wear.
EPA-Recognized Chemical Swab Screening
Applying certified reactive chemical indicator swabs (Rhodizonate method) to detect active lead presence.
Accredited Laboratory Paint Chip Analysis
Collecting physical paint chip core samples for EPA Method 7000B flame atomic absorption spectroscopy analysis.
EPA Lead-Safe Remodeling Guidance Report
Providing itemized remediation and stabilization recommendations complying with EPA RRP Title X regulations.
Texas Gulf Coast Environmental Defect Matrix
Southeast Texas structures face unique environmental stressors that generic national inspection checklists routinely overlook. We specialize in identifying these regional failure modes:
Flaking Lead Paint on Bedroom Window Sashes
Friction between wooden window sashes and jambs grinds vintage lead paint into toxic airborne dust that lands on window sills.
Peeling Exterior Porch Paint Soil Contamination
Deteriorated lead paint falling off exterior porch columns and siding contaminates the surrounding soil perimeter.
Uncontained DIY Demolition Spreading Lead Dust
Previous homeowners sanding or dry-scraping vintage walls without plastic containment or HEPA air scrubbers.
Advanced Diagnostic Equipment Suite
Human eyes alone miss hidden electrical hotspots, subterranean pipe collapses, and millimeter-level slab deflections. Every Secured Inspections vehicle is equipped with industrial instrumentation:
EPA-Recognized Reactive Swab Test Kits
Sodium rhodizonate chemical swabs providing immediate visual color change upon contacting lead concentrations >0.5%.
Sterile Laboratory Core Sample Vials
Precise surgical sampling tools collecting 1-square-inch multi-layer paint chips for atomic absorption lab testing.
Digital Calipers & Depth Gauge
Measures paint layer thicknesses and wood wear depth on vintage double-hung window channels.
High-CRI Inspection Beam
High Color Rendering Index LED beam highlighting micro-cracking and chalking paint films.
Actual Field Finding & Financial Impact
Here is an authentic defect documented in our recent inspections, demonstrating how our forensic reports deliver tangible financial leverage:
Active Lead Paint on Deteriorated Front Porch Trim & Window Sills
Our chemical testing and laboratory analysis confirmed lead paint concentrations of 1.4% by weight (nearly three times the federal threshold of 0.5%) on peeling exterior porch railings and 4 bedroom window sashes.
Frequently Asked Questions: Lead-Based Paint Testing
Everything you need to know about this inspection scope, scheduling timeline, and Texas legal protections:
Q1When was lead-based paint banned in homes?▼
The federal government banned the consumer use of lead-based paint in residential housing in 1978. If your home was built before 1978, there is a strong probability that lead paint exists beneath newer layers of paint.
Q2What is the primary danger of lead paint in a home?▼
The greatest risk is invisible lead dust created when painted surfaces rub together (such as opening windows or closing doors) or when paint chips flake onto the floor. Inhaling or ingesting lead dust causes permanent neurological damage, IQ loss, and behavioral disorders in children.
Q3Does a fresh coat of paint solve the lead problem?▼
Painting over intact lead paint (encapsulation) is an approved temporary management technique, but it is not a permanent solution for friction surfaces like window tracks and door frames, where friction will quickly wear through the topcoat.
Q4What does the federal Lead Disclosure Rule require?▼
Federal law (42 U.S.C. 4852d) requires sellers of pre-1978 homes to disclose any known lead-based paint, provide available records, supply the EPA 'Protect Your Family' pamphlet, and grant buyers a 10-day window to conduct an inspection.
Q5How does Secured Inspections test for lead paint?▼
We utilize EPA-recognized chemical indicator swabs on friction surfaces, combined with physical paint chip sampling submitted to an accredited environmental laboratory for atomic absorption spectrometry analysis.
Q6What is an EPA Lead-Safe Certified contractor?▼
Under the EPA Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule, any contractor disturbing more than 6 sqft of interior paint or 20 sqft of exterior paint in a pre-1978 home must be EPA Lead-Safe certified and use strict containment procedures.
EPA Pre-1978 Lead-Based Paint & Dust Wipe Rate Schedule
Accredited laboratory paint chip and window sill/trough dust-wipe sampling for pre-1978 residences, renovations, and family health due diligence (Zero lead dust Policy: we specialize strictly in Lead Paint & Drinking Water Lead Lab Testing).
Lead-Based Paint & Dust Wipe Lab Testing (Up to 3 Samples) — Bundled
+$250Lead-Based Paint & Dust Wipe Lab Testing (Up to 3 Samples) — Standalone
$350Drinking Water Lead, Arsenic, Copper & Bacteria Lab Panel — Bundled
+$175Historic Home Structural & Vintage Wiring Modifier (Pre-1950)
+$95Combine Pre-1978 Lead-Based Paint Lab Testing (+$250) with Drinking Water Lead & Heavy Metals Lab Testing (+$175) on any older Houston or Galveston home.
INSTANT QUOTE ESTIMATOR
Select your property size below for guaranteed Texas inspection pricing. Every full inspection includes our $350+ diagnostic suite (FLIR® Thermal, 4K Drone, ZipLevel®) at zero extra charge.
Entering your address transfers your property details directly into dispatch & Stripe checkout with zero re-typing.
- ✓FLIR® Thermal Imaging (Moisture & Hotspots — $150 Value)
- ✓4K Aerial Drone Roof Scan (Steep & 2-Story — $200 Value)
- ✓ZipLevel® Foundation Survey (Precision Elevation Delta)
- ✓Same-Day PDF Report (Guaranteed Delivery by 9:00 PM)
Ready to Inspect with Inspector Mack?
Lock in your preferred date and morning/afternoon inspection window online. Guaranteed same-day digital delivery before 9:00 PM.
