"We Got Tested" Is Not a Complete Sentence

Oct 21, 2026

Part 2 of 5 in our National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week series, October 25 to 31, 2026

A neighbor posts in the group chat: “We’re good. We got tested.” Heart emojis follow. Nobody asks the obvious question: tested what? The paint, the dust, or the child?

It matters, because each test answers a different question, and mixing them up is how families end up feeling safer than they are.

Three tests, three different answers

A paint test tells you whether there is lead paint on a specific surface, like a window frame or a length of trim.
A dust test tells you whether lead dust is present on floors and windowsills, usually after work or where paint is wearing.
A blood lead test tells you how much lead is in a child’s body. Only a clinician can order it and explain the result.

None of these stands in for the others. A clear paint result on one door says nothing about a child’s blood. A normal blood result doesn’t mean the house is lead-safe. A clean dust sample today doesn’t cover the trim you plan to sand next weekend.

What “EPA-recognized” actually means

LeadCheck is one of three lead test kits recognized by the EPA, and the wording matters. Recognized is not the same as approved, and it isn’t a seal that says a home is safe.

Recognition is about negative results. On wood, ferrous metal, drywall and plaster, a negative LeadCheck result reliably shows that regulated lead paint is not present. In other words, the kit rarely misses lead paint that is there. Positive results are held to a looser standard, so a positive means treat the surface as lead paint, or have it confirmed by a certified professional.

EPA’s recognition applies to certified renovators using the kit under the Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule. For homeowners it is still a useful screen for a single surface, as long as you know what the result does and doesn’t cover.

What a LeadCheck swab can and can’t tell you

It screens the paint on one surface you choose: wood, ferrous metal, drywall or plaster.
A negative result is the reliable one. EPA recognition means the kit rarely misses regulated lead paint that is there.
A positive result means treat that surface as lead paint, or have a certified professional confirm it.
It is not a blood test, a dust test or a clearance for the whole home.

How to read a lead paint test kit result

Positive: treat that surface as lead paint. Don’t sand or scrape it casually. Plan for dust control or bring in a professional.
Negative: regulated lead paint isn’t present on that surface. It doesn’t clear the room, the dust or any other surface.
Unclear, or tested on the wrong type of surface: don’t guess. Test again following the instructions, or ask a professional.

How to reply to the group chat

Three short questions will tell you what a result really covers:

Paint, dust or blood?
Which surfaces or rooms?
A home test kit, or a full assessment by a certified professional?

Once you know what was sampled, you know what the result answers and what it leaves open. Celebrate the right result, and don’t borrow a neighbor’s reassurance for your own house.

Find out what a LeadCheck swab can tell you, and when you need a professional or a clinician, at leadcheck.com or luxfermagtech.com, or call 800-503-4483.