DeSoto & Duncanville · Dallas County
Many homes in DeSoto and Duncanville were built before 1980, which makes them old enough for lead-based paint and asbestos building materials. Our certified technicians test paint, dust and suspect materials, send samples to an accredited lab and give you a clear written answer before you renovate, rent, buy or sell.
Call (469) 283-5227Schedule testingWhy test here
Duncanville did most of its growing in the 1960s and '70s. DeSoto's boom ran a little later, through the '70s and into the '80s. That puts a large share of the ranch houses, duplexes and small commercial buildings in both cities right inside the window for two hazards:
Lead-based paint (before 1978)
Federal law banned lead-based paint for homes in 1978. Anything painted before then, including window sashes, trim, doors, porches and exterior siding, may still have lead under newer coats.
Asbestos building materials (before about 1980)
Popcorn ceilings, 9x9 floor tile and its black mastic, drywall joint compound, duct wrap and cement siding were all made with asbestos through the 1970s.
Both, in the same house
A house old enough for one is usually old enough for the other. Before a remodel we often test for lead and asbestos on the same visit, which saves you a second trip and a second fee.
Not sure where your home falls? The free Home Environmental Risk Checker asks about age and condition and points you to the right test.
Lead paint testing
"Lead testing" covers a few different jobs, and the right one depends on why you're asking. We'll help you choose. These are the three we do most in southwest Dallas County:
We test the specific surfaces you're about to sand, scrape, replace or demolish, such as the windows in a replacement job or the trim in a kitchen remodel. It's the fastest way to know whether lead-safe work rules apply.
A surface-by-surface survey of the painted components in a home, showing where lead-based paint is and isn't. Useful before buying, selling, a large remodel or rental turnover.
Looks at whether lead is a hazard right now: deteriorated paint, settled dust on floors and window sills, and bare soil near the foundation. It's the right call when young children live in or visit the home.
The rules that apply
01
Under the EPA's RRP rule, a contractor paid to disturb paint in a pre-1978 home or child-occupied facility has to be lead-safe certified and follow lead-safe practices unless testing shows the paint isn't lead-based. See what the RRP rule requires.
02
Federal disclosure rules require sellers and landlords of pre-1978 housing to disclose known lead-based paint and hand over any reports they have. A recent inspection makes that disclosure accurate.
03
Children under six are the most vulnerable to lead, and most exposure comes from paint dust on floors and window sills. A hazard assessment tells you whether that dust is there.
04
Intact paint can often be managed in place. When it can't, lead paint removal is done under containment with cleanup verification at the end.
Test the surfaces first. We can usually be in DeSoto or Duncanville within 24 hours, with rush lab results when a crew is waiting.
Asbestos testing
You can't identify asbestos by looking at it. A lab can. We sample each distinct suspect material under controls and send the samples to an accredited laboratory for analysis. A negative result means the work can go ahead. A positive one tells you exactly what needs abatement before anyone cuts into it.
Popcorn and textured ceilings
The most common test we run in 1960s and '70s homes. Never scrape before you know. Read popcorn ceilings and asbestos.
Floor tile and mastic
9x9 tile and the black adhesive under it often turn up when carpet comes out.
Walls, ducts and siding
Joint compound, wall texture, duct wrap and tape, and cement-asbestos siding shingles.
More on how it works on our asbestos testing page.
Pricing
Testing is priced by how many surfaces or materials are sampled and how fast you need results, not by square footage. Testing lead and asbestos on the same visit usually costs less than two separate trips. For a deeper look, see what asbestos testing costs in DFW.
Number of surfaces or materials
Testing is priced by what gets sampled, not by square footage.
Type of lead test
Targeted surface testing, a full inspection or a hazard assessment with dust and soil.
Lab turnaround
Standard results or rush analysis when a contractor or closing is waiting.
Combining lead and asbestos
Testing both on one visit usually costs less than two separate trips.
Every property is different, so we price each job after we see it. To get a real quote for your DeSoto or Duncanville property, contact our team or call (469) 283-5227.
Where we work
Homes, rentals, churches, schools and small commercial buildings in DeSoto, Duncanville and the neighboring cities. We also offer mold testing and mold removal here. For the rest of the county, see our Dallas County and Dallas pages.
DeSoto & Duncanville questions
If it was built before 1978 and you're about to renovate, sell, rent it out, or have young children living there, testing is worth doing. Paint that's intact and left alone is usually low risk. The hazard comes from sanding, scraping, demolition and deteriorating paint that turns to dust.
An inspection tells you where lead-based paint is in the home, surface by surface. A risk assessment tells you whether lead is a hazard right now, by looking at deteriorating paint, household dust and bare soil. Families with young children usually want the risk assessment. Remodelers and sellers usually want the inspection.
A kit can give a quick read on a single surface, but it won't tell you how much lead is there, what's under several layers of paint or whether household dust is contaminated. For a renovation, a sale or a home with young children, professional sampling and accredited lab analysis give you an answer you can rely on and document.
Cost depends on the type of testing (targeted surfaces, a full inspection or a hazard assessment), how many surfaces are sampled, and how fast you need lab results. Testing lead and asbestos on the same visit usually saves a second trip. To get a real number for your property, contact our team.
Yes, and in homes from the 1960s and '70s we usually recommend it before a remodel. One visit covers the paint and the suspect building materials, and both go to accredited labs.
We work across Dallas County and can usually be on site within 24 hours. Lab results typically take a few business days, and rush turnaround is available when a contractor or closing is waiting.
Serving DeSoto, Duncanville & southwest Dallas County
Give us the address, the year it was built and what you're planning. We'll tell you what to test and get you a written answer fast.
