Identifying asbestos presence in your property - what you need to know

Asbestos is a group of odorless and tasteless silicate minerals that can be encountered in various geographical regions all around the world. The raw appearance of these minerals is similar to that of rock. After extracting the mineral, the fibers were dislodged from the parent ore and subsequently processed and refined. The final result consist of bunches of long, hair-like fibers that were added in a wide range of products such as insulation and cement in order to strengthen or fireproof them.

If you live in a home built before the 1980s, there is a high chance it will have asbestos in it. The naturally occurring mineral has excellent thermal transfer properties making it a superior insulation material. As a result, asbestos was used extensively in the building industry.

There is no denying that there are a number of health effects that come with having asbestos in your home. Thus, identifying the presence of asbestos-containing materials in your home it is essential in order to avoid exposure.

Where in a Home Is Asbestos Most Likely to Be Found?

The first step to identifying asbestos in your home is to know where it’s commonly found. Probable places where you can find asbestos at home are:

Exteriors: roof, corrugated asbestos cement roofing, shingles, stucco siding, gutters, downpipes, external ventilators, fence

Interiors: textured paints used for decorative ceiling and wall coatings, asbestos flooring, acoustic finishes, soundproofing material, internal angle moldings, window putty, artificial ashes and embers, wallpapers

Heating and boiling: duct lining, wall gaskets, door gaskets, heating surface covering, lining, wood/coal stoves

Basement: batt insulation, vermiculite insulation, wall insulation, insulation in wood-burning stoves and heaters

Wiring and appliances: wiring insulation, switchboard panels, fuse boxes, freezers, dryers, toasters, dishwashers, range hoods, etc.

Others: texture paint, patching compounds, decorative plasters, caulking and caulking products.

How to Identify Asbestos Before Renovation Work

Once you suspect your home may contain asbestos materials, the next thing you’ll want to know is what they look like. In nature, asbestos appears as long, thin, fibrous crystals that can have different colors: blue,

brown, green, and white. In construction products, however, they often cannot be readily seen until the material is damaged or disturbed due to deterioration of the material over time. For example, asbestos used as insulation once disturbed can appear fibrous, similar to fairy floss.

Asbestos-containing products are generally divided into two categories:

friable (loosely-bound) – boiler insulation, low-density boards, sheet vinyl backing, pipe lagging, sprayed insulation, fire retardants, mastic adhesives, etc.

non-friable (bonded) – vinyl floor tiles, cement products, ceiling tiles, roof shingles, etc.

Any building product that was supplied prior to 1984 will almost certainly contain asbestos. Red flags that may point to asbestos contamination include damaged floor tiles, siding, shingles, or drywall, frayed insulation, and corrugated cement roofing.

If you’re fairly sure that you have asbestos inside your building, it’s important not to disturb these materials further and not to panic. If these materials are in good condition and not disturbed, there’s actually no immediate danger. However, you must act fast to have these materials tested and removed, lest they become damaged and start to release harmful fibers into the air.

Renovation Checklist: Asbestos Testing

Sometimes, identifying asbestos by visual inspection can be difficult, and this is because asbestos is often mixed into other materials and can have different colors or the same colors as other, less harmful materials.

You should go for testing for asbestos at your house if:
Date of construction of your house is before the 1980s
You can see some visible wear and tear at places where there is a possibility of asbestos being used
You plan to do a renovation which will require disturbing/demolishing locations/parts where there is a possibility of asbestos being used
You suspect there might be asbestos usage in the house and would like to test it to be sure about it
You plan to buy a new house constructed before the 1980s and would like to be sure if it is asbestos-free

Since they are virtually invisible and odorless, asbestos fibers are almost always undetectable. Therefore, the only way to identify them, or find out whether your house actually has asbestos, is to look for probable places where asbestos products have been used, and then call a licensed asbestos tester to take samples for testing.

After inspector analyzes the sample, you will receive a report, which will confirm or infirm the presence of asbestos and may include additional information concerning the type and concentration of toxic minerals, if asbestos is indeed present. If the test results are positive and your house proves to be contaminated with asbestos, removal is necessary in order to properly dispose of the hazardous materials.

About the author:

Asbestos123 is a non-profit organization that has helped over 2 million visitors to understand the risk posed by exposure to asbestos. In this regard, we continue to raise awareness about the dangers of asbestos exposure and help individuals identify and safely remove these toxic minerals from their homes. For more information, please visit our page.

Asbestos InspectionGuest UserJune 15, 2020