Tampa Bay has experienced tremendous growth, but many of the region’s most desirable neighborhoods are also home to an older housing stock. From historic homes in St. Petersburg and Tampa to established neighborhoods throughout Clearwater, Largo and surrounding Pinellas County communities, thousands of residential properties were constructed before 1978.
For owners, buyers, property managers and contractors working with these properties, one environmental issue deserves particular attention: lead-based paint.
Lead-based paint was banned for residential consumer use in the United States in 1978. That means homes constructed before 1978 may contain lead-based paint beneath newer layers of paint or on individual building components. The presence of old paint does not automatically mean that a property has an active lead hazard, but deteriorating or disturbed lead-containing paint can create contaminated chips and dust. EPA notes that renovation work in pre-1978 housing can create dangerous lead dust when lead-based paint is disturbed.
When Should a Tampa Bay Property Be Tested for Lead?
There are several situations where professional lead testing can make sense.
A homeowner may be preparing to renovate an older property. A buyer may want more information about a historic home before beginning extensive renovations. A contractor may be preparing for a rehabilitation project. A landlord or property manager may need additional information regarding painted building components.
Lead evaluations can also become particularly important when a property is connected to certain federally assisted housing or rehabilitation programs.
The City of Tampa, Pinellas County and the City of St. Petersburg all have housing initiatives that address lead hazards or compliance requirements associated with older housing and federally supported programs. For example, Tampa’s housing planning documents identify lead-related requirements under 24 CFR Part 35 for affected housing rehabilitation, acquisition and rental-assistance programs.
What Is XRF Lead Paint Testing?
One of the most useful technologies for evaluating painted surfaces is X-ray fluorescence, or XRF.
An XRF analyzer allows a qualified professional to evaluate painted building components for lead without having to remove a paint-chip sample from every surface.
EPA identifies XRF testing as one of the professional methods available for testing paint for lead.
During an XRF lead-based paint inspection, individual building components may be systematically tested. Depending on the structure, these may include walls, ceilings, doors, door frames, window components, baseboards, trim, cabinets, stairs, railings, siding and other painted surfaces.
This can be especially useful in larger homes and multifamily properties because a substantial number of components can be evaluated while minimizing unnecessary damage to the building.
Lead Paint Inspection vs. Lead Risk Assessment
Property owners should also understand that a lead-based paint inspection and a lead risk assessment are not exactly the same service.
A lead-based paint inspection is intended primarily to determine whether lead-based paint is present and identify the surfaces where it is located.
A lead risk assessment focuses on identifying lead hazards and evaluating their location, type and severity. This can include hazards associated with paint, dust and soil. EPA specifically describes a risk assessment as an on-site investigation intended to identify lead-based paint hazards and potential methods for controlling those hazards.
Which service is appropriate depends on why the property is being evaluated.
Someone preparing for renovation may have a different objective than a housing agency evaluating a rehabilitation project or a family investigating a potential source of lead exposure.
Tampa Bay’s Older Housing Makes Lead Awareness Important
Lead testing is especially relevant in established areas such as St. Petersburg, Tampa, Clearwater, Largo, Dunedin, Seminole, Safety Harbor and other communities containing substantial numbers of older residences.
St. Petersburg has also made household lead exposure a public priority through Healthy Homes St. Pete. The city’s Lead Reduction Program is intended to identify and remove lead-paint hazards and help residents address lead concerns within their homes.
The existence of these initiatives does not mean that every older Tampa Bay home has a lead hazard. Rather, it demonstrates why understanding lead conditions in older housing continues to matter.