Dust Wipe Clearance Inspections

Sources of Lead in Dust

Lead is commonly found in interior house dust, with the primary source being lead-based paint.

Old lead-based paint can chip, crack, and peel creating lead dust which is harmful for both children and adults.

Common sources of lead dust are: 

- Weathering, chipping, and chalking of lead-based paint. 

- Scraping and sanding of lead-based paint in preparation for refinishing. 

- Renovations that break surfaces painted with lead-based paint. 

- Abrasion and/or impact on doors, windows, and walls. 

- Atmospheric fallout from the combustion of leaded gasoline that was deposited prior to the phase-down in use. 

- Factory emissions. 

- Dust and dirt that is carried into the home on shoes and clothing, especially from factories or construction sites, or by pets.

Where can Lead Dust be found in my home?

The most likely place for the inspector to find lead in house dust is on window sills and window troughs. There are several reasons for this.

First, lead-based paint was often used on both wood and metal windows because of its durability. Second, repeated opening and closing of windows tends to damage the paint which produces lead dust if the paint contains lead. 

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Lead dust can also be found on floors, especially near windows, doors, or baseboards that are painted with lead-based paint.

Lead dust is also common near exterior doorways, reflecting the tracking of dust and soil from outdoors by people and animals. 

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Lead is a heavy element and will eventually find a resting place on any horizontal surface in your home.

What can I do about Lead Contaminated Dust in my home?

Interior lead dust levels can be reduced by conscientious housekeeping, especially regular cleaning of floors, window wills, and window troughs.

Wet moping and wiping on a regular basis are particularly effective activities to control accessible dust. However, ordinary vacuuming of dust known or suspected to contain lead should not be used as a cleaning method.

Traditional vacuums do not have filters capable of trapping the lead dust sufficiently. They will typically send the lead particles back into the air to either resurface on another horizontal object, or to be inhaled by the children or adults in the dwelling.

Only vacuums equipped with a HEPA filter should be used.

How can I tell if there is Lead in the Dust in my home

Visually, you cannot tell the difference between regular dust and lead contaminated dust. If you are living in a house built prior to 1978 there is a chance the dust in your home contains lead. 

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Our inspectors here at XRF Services are fully trained for Dust Wipe Sampling. We will collect dust samples using the most current EPA and HUD standards and protocols. Each sample will be collected and sent off to our laboratory to determine the presence of lead in the dust.

The results are then reported in micrograms per square foot (µg/ft²). 

The EPA considers the lead levels in dust a hazard if they reach the following levels; 

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- 40 µg/ft² - for Floors. 

- 250 µg/ft² - for Interior window sills. 

- 400 µg/ft² - for Exterior window troughs and other exterior surfaces.