Environmental Testing in Massachusetts
Mold, Asbestos & Lead Test Kits

Massachusetts has more pre-1940 homes, as a percentage of total housing stock, than any other state in the country. Boston, Worcester, Springfield, and their surrounding communities are filled with triple-deckers, row houses, and single-family homes built in the late 19th and early 20th century — virtually all of which contain lead-based paint. Massachusetts has strict lead paint regulations (Chapter 111, Section 197) requiring landlords to deleaden units occupied by children under 6.

Asbestos is nearly universal in pre-1980 construction throughout Massachusetts. Pipe insulation in basements and utility rooms, floor tiles (particularly 9x9 inch tiles), textured ceiling coatings, and exterior shingles frequently contain asbestos. Any renovation in a pre-1980 Massachusetts home should be preceded by asbestos testing.

Mold is a significant and growing concern in Massachusetts, particularly in older housing with poor ventilation and aging building envelopes. Basement moisture, condensation, and leaky roofs all contribute to mold growth in a state where the housing stock is among the oldest in the country.

Boston Metro and Eastern Massachusetts

The Greater Boston area — Cambridge, Somerville, Medford, Newton, Quincy — has an extremely high density of pre-1940 housing with serious lead and asbestos risk. Western Massachusetts cities including Springfield and Holyoke also have significant concentrations of older housing.