Asbestos - I need to test. How?

[thrasherfox]

I want to test for asbestos in a house I inhereted.

does anyone know how I can do this?

 

[F=MA]

I imagine if you live in a reasonably sized area there will be an environmental services company listed in your local yellow pages.

 

[jefferycarman]

There are companies that do it, and I don't know exactly how it's done, but my father in law works for a company that takes care of asbestos clean-up and testing. If you want I can get you some contact information with the guys who deal with it. They may even have a branch in your area. Let me know

 

[dadofthree]

How old is this house Ron ? Asbestos was used in shingles, siding, and insulation, but that was a long time ago. Asbestos is also used in brake pads. Believe me it's much more stable in the shingles and siding than the pads.

 

[jefferycarman]

On the note of stability. I have a wall that has asbestos in it, just one! They advised me to leave it alone. It's fine unless you start punching holes in it, drilling in it, in general making it airborn.

Just leave it alone until you know for sure if you really think it is.

And most brakes stopped using it a while ago, or so I was informed (I could be wrong). No matter what though, that stuff is the suck. Just be careful if you think you are around it.

 

[dadofthree]

Just did a search on goggle. That's the ticket. Even listed local companies that are accredited for testing. Don't take any samples yourself if you suspect asbestos. It is a killer.

 

[zukracer]

you probably also want to research the impact of having someone come in and say "yes it is asbestos". Obviously if you have it and its airborne the cost to fix it is far out weighed by the health benefits. If you have it and its "stable" just make sure you dont have some local ordinance that mandates it be fixed in X days or something equally not good, like the public health office getting involved

 

[shadetree57]

you probably also want to research the impact of having someone come in and say "yes it is asbestos". Obviously if you have it and its airborne the cost to fix it is far out weighed by the health benefits. If you have it and its "stable" just make sure you dont have some local ordinance that mandates it be fixed in X days or something equally not good, like the public health office getting involved

Right, you may spend a pile if you're not carefull who you get involved.

 

[TonyMastodon]

i think if you call the city they will do it.

 

[thrasherfox]

How old is this house Ron ? Asbestos was used in shingles, siding, and insulation, but that was a long time ago. Asbestos is also used in brake pads. Believe me it's much more stable in the shingles and siding than the pads.

It is 40+ years old.

My main concern is I am turning it into a rental and I dont want the workers being exposed to anything and if there is any asbestos I want to take care of it before we get renters in there

 

[BA BUSA]

There should be a local company that will come out and take samples for testing

Use the "search" button on you computer

First use the "power on" button

 

[Acehole]

Vinyl composite tile used to have asbestos in it. They were the 9"x9" variety used in older kitchens before something like 1970. Some 12x12 also had it.