Lead can hide in paint, dust, soil, water, dishes, toys, spices and hobby supplies. Pick the areas of your home and get a printable, room-by-room checklist of possible sources to look for, with a link for each one.
In short: a checklist helps you find what might contain lead. Only testing tells you whether it does. Print it or save it as a PDF and work through one room at a time.
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How to use the checklist
- Walk through each area with the printed list and tick off what you check.
- Note anything that needs a test: peeling paint, old dishes, the water line, bare soil.
- Use What Lead Test Do I Need? to choose the right test for each item.
- If young children or a pregnant person live in the home, ask a doctor about a blood lead test. See how to test for lead poisoning.
The most common source in older homes is lead-based paint and the dust it makes, especially on windows, doors, floors and porches. EPA estimates that about three-quarters of homes built before 1978 still have some lead-based paint. Our guide to causes and prevention explains every source in more depth.