A house built in the 1980s
Homes built in the 1980s are after the lead-paint ban but before the 1986 lead-free plumbing rule took full effect; original AC systems used R-22.
For a 1980s house, check 8 things: lead solder on copper pipes is possible; a lead service line is possible; asbestos-containing materials are possible; vermiculite attic insulation may contain asbestos; the garage door opener may predate entrapment protection; the ac may use r-22 refrigerant; original water heaters are long past typical life; test for radon, whatever the age. A decade says what is possible, not what your house has.
Lead solder on copper pipes is possible
Before the 1986 Safe Drinking Water Act amendments, copper plumbing was commonly joined with lead solder; "lead free" then meant no more than 0.2% lead in solder and 8% in pipe, and since 2014 means a 0.25% weighted average for pipes, fittings and fixtures.
How to check: Run the cold tap before drinking if water has sat for hours, use cold water for cooking, and test the tap water.
A lead service line is possible
EPA: lead pipes "are more likely to be found in older cities and homes built before 1986," and lead service lines are typically the most significant source of lead in drinking water. The Safe Drinking Water Act banned non-lead-free pipe, solder and flux in drinking-water plumbing after June 1986.
How to check: Ask your water utility whether your service line is lead (utilities are building service-line inventories), and test your tap water.
Asbestos-containing materials are possible
EPA lists places asbestos may be found in older homes, such as some floor tiles, roofing and siding shingles, textured paints and patching compounds, pipe and boiler insulation, and some vermiculite insulation. Material in good condition that is left alone is generally not a hazard.
How to check: Before demolition or remodeling, have suspect materials sampled by an accredited professional; do not sand, cut or scrape them yourself.
Vermiculite attic insulation may contain asbestos
EPA: a mine near Libby, Montana supplied over 70% of all vermiculite sold in the US from 1919 to 1990, and it was contaminated with asbestos; it was often sold as Zonolite. EPA advises assuming vermiculite insulation may be contaminated.
How to check: If the attic has loose, pebble-like gray-brown or gold insulation, do not disturb it; do not store things in that attic; hire a trained, accredited asbestos professional if work is needed.
The garage door opener may predate entrapment protection
Federal rules (16 CFR 1211) require automatic residential garage door openers made after January 1, 1993 to include entrapment protection, such as an auto-reverse and photo-eye or edge sensor.
How to check: Test the auto-reverse with a 2x4 laid under the door. An opener without photo-eyes near the floor is due for replacement.
The AC may use R-22 refrigerant
EPA: production and import of HCFC-22 (R-22) ended on January 1, 2020; systems can still be serviced with recovered, recycled or stockpiled R-22, which is scarce and costly. New systems for R-22 stopped being manufactured in 2010.
How to check: Read the outdoor unit’s nameplate. On an R-22 system with a leak, ask for a repair-versus-replace comparison in writing.
Original water heaters are long past typical life
DOE’s 2024 water heater rulemaking estimated the average lifetime of storage water heaters at about 15 years. A home of this age has almost certainly had its water heater replaced at least once, but it is worth confirming the date from the serial number.
How to check: Decode the serial number to get the manufacture date and add it to My Home.
Test for radon, whatever the age
EPA recommends testing every home for radon. House age does not predict it; soil and construction details do.
How to check: Test every two years and after renovations that change the lowest level.
Information, not an inspection. Testing and abatement of lead or asbestos should be done by certified professionals.