Painting guide · Naperville, IL
Lead paint in older homes around Naperville, and how painting should be done
If your house was built before 1978, there may be lead paint under the newer coats. Here is what that means for repainting, what the federal rule requires of contractors, and what to ask before work starts.
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By Douglas Woodruff, Painting Guides Editor · Updated October 2026
Guide
Lead paint in older homes
By Douglas Woodruff · October 2026
Short answer
Homes in Naperville, IL and the surrounding counties built before 1978 may have lead-based paint under newer layers, because lead paint was banned for homes in 1978. Under the EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule, firms that disturb painted surfaces in those homes must be certified and use lead-safe work practices.
Part 1
Which homes are affected
Lead was banned in residential paint in 1978, so any home built before then may have lead paint somewhere, often on windows, doors, trim and porches that were painted early on. The older the house, the more likely it is.
Around Naperville, that covers a lot of houses. In DuPage County, about 30 percent of homes were built before 1970, and in Kane County nearly 13 percent were built before 1940, according to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning's community data. Many 1970s homes fall before the cutoff too.
Part 2
Why it matters when you repaint
Intact lead paint under newer coats is not usually a hazard. The risk comes from disturbing it: sanding, scraping, cutting and demolition create dust and chips that young children and pets can swallow or breathe.
That is why the method matters more than the paint going on. A repaint that involves scraping peeling trim on a pre-1978 house needs dust control from the start.
Part 3
What the federal rule requires of contractors
The EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule applies to paid work that disturbs painted surfaces in homes built before 1978. Contractors must be EPA-certified firms, use certified renovators on the job, and follow lead-safe work practices. Before starting, they must give the owner the EPA's Renovate Right pamphlet.
Homeowners working on their own homes are exempt from the rule, but the same practices protect your family.
Painting an older home? Call any hour and we will talk through the prep and dust control before anything starts.
Call (630) 467-7456
Part 4
What lead-safe painting looks like
Lead-safe work starts with containment: plastic sheeting on floors and ground, closed-off work areas and signs. Old paint is wet-scraped or removed with methods that keep dust down, and open-flame burning and high-speed sanding without proper dust collection are not allowed.
At the end, the area is cleaned with HEPA vacuums and wet wiping, and the work area is checked before plastic comes down. It takes longer than an ordinary repaint, which shows up in the price and schedule.
Part 5
Questions to ask before work starts
Ask any painter working on a pre-1978 home whether their firm is EPA lead-safe certified and who on the crew is the certified renovator. Ask how they will contain dust indoors and outdoors, how they will clean up, and whether testing is planned.
If you are unsure whether old paint contains lead, have it tested before the job. A certified inspector or risk assessor can test it, and the result decides how the prep should be done.
Not every one, but any of them may. Testing is the only way to know for sure.
Intact paint under newer coats is not usually a hazard. Sanding, scraping and demolition create the dust that is.
A federal rule requiring firms that disturb paint in pre-1978 homes to be certified and use lead-safe practices.
Homeowners working on their own homes are exempt, but lead-safe practices still protect your family.
An EPA brochure contractors must give owners of pre-1978 homes before starting work.
Have it tested by a certified lead inspector or risk assessor before work starts.
Usually, because containment, careful paint removal and cleanup take extra time.
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Talk it through with a painter in Naperville
Call any hour. We answer questions on the phone and book a walk-through when you are ready.
