Home Improvement
Interior Remodel
By
Kamron Sanders
Kamron Sanders
Kamron Sanders is a home improvement expert and writer with over 15 years of hands-on construction, remodeling, woodworking, home repair, and landscaping experience.He has also written for HGTV. Kamron's expertise ranges from troubleshooting saws and lawnmowers to painting kitchen cabinets.
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Updated on 06/20/24
Reviewed by
Deane Biermeier
Reviewed byDeane Biermeier
Deane Biermeier is an expert contractor with nearly 30 years of experience in all types of home repair, maintenance, and remodeling. He is a certified lead carpenter and also holds a certification from the EPA. Deane is a member of The Spruce's Home Improvement Review Board.
In This Article
Before You Begin
Common Places You Might Find Asbestos
How to Test for Asbestos
FAQ
Project Overview
- Working Time:20 - 40 mins
- Yield:Test a suspected building material for asbestos
- Skill Level:Beginner
- Estimated Cost:$20 to $50
Asbestos in the home is a health hazard. If your house was built before the 1980s, it may contain asbestos. Testing is the only way to confirm if a building material contains asbestos. Learn how to test for asbestos and what to do if you learn that your home has asbestos.
Asbestos
Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that is heat- and fire-resistant. Asbestos was commonly added to products like insulation and other building materials. Asbestos was banned in 1989 due to its direct connection to mesothelioma, a type of cancer.
Before You Begin
Purchase an asbestos testing kit at a home improvement center or online. The kit will include detailed instructions for collecting the sample. After collection, mail the findings to the specified laboratory. Sometimes, the kit fee includes both the kit itself and the laboratory fee. After a week or two, the results are emailed to you.
Common Places You Might Find Asbestos
The most common place to find asbestos within your home is vermiculite (brand name Zonolite), an insulation material found in attics and walls with a mica-like shine and a gray-brown or silver-gold color. Much of the vermiculite insulation sold before 1990 contains asbestos fibers.
Other places in the home where you might find asbestos:
- Sheet vinyl flooring
- Popcorn ceilings
- Floor tiles
- Ceiling cavities as insulation
- Wallboard
- Wallboard joint compound
- Pipe cement
- Mastic
- Exterior cement tile siding
- Heating pipe insulation wrap
- Roofing tiles
- Roof flashing
What You'll Need
Equipment / Tools
- Spray bottle
- Respirator with HEPA filter
- Glasses or goggles
- Gloves
Materials
- Asbestos test kit
- Disposable coveralls
- Plastic sheeting
- Tape
- Dish soap
Instructions
How to Test for Asbestos
Wear Protective Gear
Don disposable coveralls, waterproof gloves, safety glasses or goggles, boot covers, and a tight-fitting mask fitted with a new HEPA filter.
Seal the Area
Seal off all doorways or windows with plastic sheeting to prevent contaminating other areas. Turn off all fans and HVAC units.
Spray the Suspected Area
Keep loose asbestos fibers out of the air by mixing one teaspoon of liquid dishwashing detergent with cool water in a pint-size spray bottle. Liberally spray down the testing spot where you'll remove your sample.
Collect Solid and Friable Materials
Materials that are solid or friable (crumbly) are preferred for DIY asbestos testing, as they tend to result in less expensive lab fees. Cut out a small sample of the material in question and place it in the provided sample bag.
Collect Dust Samples
If solid materials aren't available, asbestos-testing labs usually will ask you to scoop up as much settled dust as possible to gather one teaspoon full. If you cannot gather that much dust, you should use a damp tissue to wipe the dust and enclose the tissue in a sealable bag.
Send in the Samples
Usually a week or two later, the lab reports back to you whether the material is positive or negative for asbestos. Some kits offer the option of paying an extra fee for rush results. Some labs offer a reduced rate for additional samples.
FAQ
What do you do if you discover asbestos in your home?
If you receive positive asbestos test results, your options are to encapsulate the area (seal it) or have the materials removed by a licensed abatement company. It's not recommended to remove the materials yourself. Encapsulating the asbestos, if possible, is usually the most cost-effective option.
Can a single exposure to asbestos cause health issues?
Yes, it's possible for any asbestos exposure to result in health issues and any level of exposure should be avoided at all costs. However, most diseases like asbestosis and mesothelioma develop as a result of regular asbestos exposure.
How big does an asbestos sample need to be for testing?
Asbestos samples don't have to be big in order to be tested. As long as the sampled material contains asbestos, it can often be as small as a coin. For dust samples, many labs require at least one teaspoon.
What are common symptoms of asbestos exposure?
Asbestos exposure could lead to shortness of breath, fatigue, wheezing, a persistent cough, and chest and shoulder pain. If you experience these symptoms without an obvious reason, it's worth testing your home for asbestos.
The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Asbestos - Overview. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Asbestos Ban and Phase-Out Federal Register Notices. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Protect Your Family from Asbestos-Contaminated Vermiculite Insulation. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).