Updated October 2026. How to find out whether your home has lead pipes, what testing costs, which fixes work while you wait for replacement, and what it means when you sell. Built on EPA guidance read on October 28, 2026.
To deal with old lead plumbing, first find out whether the service line into your home is lead, then test your water and use a filter certified to remove lead until the pipe is replaced. As of October 2026, EPA says lab tests cost $20 to $100, and its 2024 rule gives water systems 10 years to replace lead pipes.
Jump to: 🏠 Finding lead · 🪜 Testing · ⏱️ What to do now · 💲 Replacement · 📍 Selling or buying · ❓ FAQ
Key takeaways
- EPA says lead pipes are more likely in older cities and homes built before 1986. The service line to the street is usually the biggest source.
- Water utilities had to publish service line inventories by October 16, 2024, so yours may already know what your pipe is made of.
- Testing is the only sure way to know. EPA puts lab tests at $20 to $100.
- Showering is considered safe even above EPA’s action level, because skin doesn’t absorb lead from water. Drinking and cooking water is what counts.
Nobody wants to find lead in their plumbing. It still turns up in a lot of older homes, though, and the fix is more manageable than it sounds. Here’s the order we’d tackle it in.
How can you tell if your home has lead pipes?
Start with the pipe you can’t see from the kitchen: the service line. That’s the pipe that runs from the water main under the street into your house. EPA says that in homes with lead service lines, those pipes are typically the most significant source of lead in the water. In homes without one, the usual culprits are brass or chrome-plated brass faucets and old lead solder on copper pipes.
Ask your water utility first
Under EPA’s revised Lead and Copper Rule, water systems had to prepare an inventory of service line materials by October 16, 2024, and notify people served by a known or possible lead line. Many utilities now have a lookup map on their website. Search your address. If it says “lead” or “unknown,” keep going.
Check the pipe yourself
Find where the water line enters your home, usually in the basement, a crawl space, a utility closet or near the water heater. EPA’s Protect Your Tap guide walks you through it step by step. Plumbers look for a dull gray, soft pipe, often with rounded, swollen-looking joints. A licensed plumber can confirm it in a few minutes if you’re not sure.
Age gives you a clue too. EPA says lead pipes are more likely in older cities and in homes built before 1986. Federal “lead-free” rules now cap lead at a weighted average of 0.25% on pipes and fixtures and 0.2% for solder.
How do you test your water for lead?
You can’t see, taste or smell lead in water. EPA says testing is the only sure way to know. Here’s how to go about it:
- Read your utility’s annual Consumer Confidence Report. EPA requires community water systems to deliver it by July 1 each year.
- Call your water utility. Some test for free or loan sampling kits.
- Use a state-certified lab. EPA says testing costs between $20 and $100.
- Follow the lab’s sampling steps exactly. Many ask for “first draw” water that sat in the pipes overnight.
Home test strips can flag a problem, but a lab result tells you how much lead is there. If you have young kids, ask your pediatrician about a blood test as well. CDC recommends public health action when a child’s blood lead level reaches 3.5 micrograms per deciliter, EPA notes.
Why it matters so much for kids: EPA set the health goal for lead in drinking water at zero. It says infants on mostly mixed formula can get 40% to 60% of their lead exposure from water. That’s why we’d always treat lead as toxic and act fast, even on a borderline result.
What should you do while you wait for replacement?
You don’t need to stop using your water altogether. EPA says bathing and showering should be safe, even when lead is above its action level, because skin doesn’t absorb lead from water. The goal is to protect what you drink and cook with. EPA lists these steps:
- Use a filter certified to remove lead. Check the package for the lead reduction claim, replace cartridges on time, and don’t run hot water through it.
- Use only cold water for drinking, cooking and baby formula. Boiling does not remove lead.
- Run the tap before drinking if water has sat in the pipes for hours. A shower, a load of laundry or the dishwasher also flushes the line.
- Clean faucet aerators regularly, since lead particles can collect in the screen.
- Watch for street construction. Work near a lead service line can shake more lead loose.
Filters come in pitchers, faucet mounts and under-sink units. Reverse osmosis units often filter more contaminants than a basic carbon pitcher, but what matters for lead is the certification on the box, not the technology name. EPA links a consumer tool for finding pitchers and point-of-use filters certified for lead.
How do you replace lead pipes, and who pays?
A filter is a stopgap. The real fix is getting the lead out. In October 2024, EPA finalized the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, which require water systems across the country to identify and replace lead pipes within 10 years. The rule also adds stricter testing and a lower threshold for action. EPA points to $2.6 billion from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for lead work.
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On homes listed by other agents, Beycome credits you up to 2% of the price at closing (1% kept, $1,499 minimum; not on FSBO homes or homes listed by Beycome sellers).
Buy a home →What that means for you depends on your utility. Some replace the whole service line at no cost to the owner. Others split it at the property line or offer grants. Call them before you hire anyone. If you replace the private side yourself, coordinate with the utility so they replace their side at the same time. Replacing half a line can stir up lead for a while.
| Source of lead | Typical fix | Who to call |
|---|---|---|
| Lead service line | Full line replacement, street to house | Water utility, then a licensed plumber |
| Lead solder on copper pipes | Replace affected sections, or repipe | Licensed plumber |
| Old brass faucets and fixtures | Swap for fixtures marked lead-free | DIY or plumber |
| Unknown | Test first, then inspect the line | Utility and a state-certified lab |
Inside the house, a full repipe is a big job and usually not DIY. For a sense of the work, read why your home’s water system may need an upgrade, these tips for plumbing installations and reasons to tackle pipe problems early. Keep the invoices: a repipe is an improvement, not just a repair.
What if you’re selling or buying a home with lead pipes?
Be upfront. The federal lead disclosure rule covers lead-based paint in pre-1978 housing: sellers must share known lead paint information and reports, give buyers EPA’s pamphlet and offer a 10-day inspection period. Lead pipes aren’t part of that federal paint rule, but a known lead service line is the kind of material fact many state seller disclosure forms ask about. Check your state’s form, and attach any test results or utility letters you have.
Plumbing issues come up in nearly every inspection. Our guide to plumbing issues to address before listing covers what buyers ask about, and what inspectors rarely tell you covers the rest. For your paperwork, see documents needed to sell your home. And our list of warning signs your home needs repairs is a good pre-listing walk-through.
When you’re ready, Beycome lists your home on the MLS for a flat fee: Basic $99, Enhanced $399, and Concierge $1,399, with $0 at closing. See the flat fee MLS packages.
Buying an older home? Ask the seller for any lead test results and the utility’s service line record, and test the water during your inspection period. The Beycome buyer program is open to every buyer on homes listed by other agents (the commission credit can’t apply where no buyer-agent commission is offered, like most FSBO homes, or on homes listed by Beycome sellers). Beycome keeps 1% of the price, minimum $1,499, and credits the rest at closing, with lender approval.
Lead plumbing questions homeowners ask
How do I know if my house has lead pipes?
Check your utility’s service line inventory, then look at the pipe where water enters your home, using EPA’s Protect Your Tap guide. Homes built before 1986 are more likely to have them.
How much does it cost to test water for lead?
EPA says testing costs between $20 and $100 through a certified lab. Some water utilities offer free testing, so call them first.
Is it safe to shower if my water has lead?
Yes, according to EPA. Skin doesn’t absorb lead from water. Focus on drinking and cooking water, and use a filter certified for lead.
Does boiling water remove lead?
No. EPA says boiling does not remove lead. Use cold, filtered water for drinking, cooking and baby formula.
Will my water utility replace my lead service line?
Under EPA’s 2024 Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, water systems must replace lead pipes within 10 years. Who pays for the private side varies, so ask your utility.
Do I have to disclose lead pipes when selling?
The federal rule covers lead paint in pre-1978 homes. Many state disclosure forms also ask about known plumbing defects, so disclose a known lead line and share test results.
Lead facts, testing and steps: EPA, Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water. Replacement rule: EPA Lead and Copper Rule Improvements and Revised Lead and Copper Rule pages. Disclosure: EPA real estate lead disclosure page. All read October 28, 2026. General information, not medical or legal advice; disclosure rules vary by state.
Beycome prices as of October 2026. “$0 at closing” means no Beycome fee at closing; other closing costs and taxes still apply. Concierge is $1,399 and Basic is $129 in California and Illinois. Buyer credit: minimum $1,499, lender approval, not on FSBO homes or homes listed by Beycome sellers.
Sources
- EPA, Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water, read October 28, 2026.
- EPA, Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, read October 28, 2026.
- EPA, Revised Lead and Copper Rule, read October 28, 2026.
- EPA, Protect Your Tap: A Quick Check for Lead, read October 28, 2026.
- EPA, Real Estate Disclosures about Potential Lead Hazards, read October 28, 2026.
- Beycome, listing package features, October 2026.
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