Asbestos Test – What You Need to Know

An asbestos test is a method for determining if asbestos materials are present, whether in a home, commercial building, public building, or other area. Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral found in rocks, and used for decades in the manufacture of thousands of products. Inhaling asbestos fibers can cause mesothelioma and other serious asbestos diseases and in most cases should be removed immediately upon discovery. It was banned many years ago, but is still commonly found in homes built in the 1980s or before. If you think asbestos might be found in your home, it’s important to perform an asbestos test immediately.

Asbestos is commonly found in asbestos insulation such as attic insulation and pipe insulation, suspended asbestos ceiling tiles, wall and ceiling acoustic plaster, asbestos floor tile and adhesive, cement roofs, and many other items. Although visual inspection can alert you to possible asbestos-containing products, you cannot know with certainty whether or not asbestos is in a product unless you do an asbestos test by taking samples and having them examined in the lab or if you find it directly printed on the actual product. Most of the time an asbestos test is necessary to determine the presence or absence of asbestos.

There are two parts to an asbestos test. Asbestos testing requires taking a sample of any questionable material and then having that material tested in a lab. A simple test for asbestos will include the cost of taking the samples, usually by a professional building inspector, and the lab fee. An inspector, depending on how many questionable materials you have in your home, can charge you from $50 up to $1,000 or more for an inspection, sample taking, and lab fees. You can also do your own home asbestos test by buying and using asbestos test kits available at most home centers. Doing the asbestos test on your own can sometimes greatly lower your asbestos testing cost, but must be weighed against the possible health risks.

Performing asbestos tests on your own with asbestos testing kits involves taking samples of possible asbestos-containing materials, sealing them in containers, and mailing them to a lab for microscopic examination. Carrying out your own home asbestos testing can be a very simple job, but for ultimate safety it is usually wise to have a professional do the testing. The actual lab fee can be anywhere between $50 and $150 to test one sample, with each additional sample costing extra. Most labs will give you the results of their findings within 48 hours, but some will not have results for a week or more.

If you should discover any materials that could possibly contain asbestos, the first thing you need to do is to avoid exposure. Seal off the area and make sure nobody is exposed to the suspected materials. Once the area is secured, your next step is to perform an asbestos test or asbestos survey which will give you a detailed asbestos report stating where asbestos is found and not found. Asbestos testing is usually best left to a professional asbestos abatement contractor, but home asbestos testing kits can be used to do the testing yourself. Once it has been verified that asbestos is indeed present in your home, the next step is to determine your course of action. A professional can help you determine the safest approach. Asbestos materials can be left alone if they pose no risk of releasing asbestos fibers into the air, encapsulated to prevent any fibers from becoming airborne, or removed completely. But once you identify possible asbestos products, an asbestos test should be done without delay. If it’s necessary to remove asbestos, you’ll also need to perform asbestos disposal according to state and federal asbestos regulations. Plus, if you do the job on your own you’ll need to take some asbestos awareness training, asbestos removal training, or other asbestos training courses.