Asbestos Testing

Get Asbestos Testing to Determine Presence of Asbestos

Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring silicates. They have properties that make them useful for insulation or binding materials in buildings. When asbestos becomes damaged or disturbed, the asbestos fibers become airborne and can be inhaled. We provide asbestos testing to determine if a material in your home contains asbestos.

There are six types of asbestos. We test for these six types.

– Chrysotile
– Amosite
– Crocidolite
– Anthophyllite
– Tremolite
– Actinolite

The most commonly used asbestos is Chrysotile, Amosite, and Crocidolite.

AIB = Asbestos Insulating Board

Inside

A. Asbestos Cement Water Tank
B. Pipe Lagging
C. Loose Fill Insulation
D. Textured Decorative Coating. Eg. Artex
E. AIB Ceiling Tiles
F. AIB Bath Panel
G. Toilet Seat and Cistern
H. AIB Behind Fuse Box
I. AIR Airing Cupboard and/or Sprayed Insulation Coating Boiler
J. AIB Partition Wall
K. AIB Interior Window Panel
L. AIB Around Boiler
M. Vinyl Floor Tiles
N. AIB Behind Fire

Outside

O. Gutters and Asbestos Cement Downpipes
P. Soffits – AIB or Asbestos Cement
Q. AIB Exterior Window Panel
R. Asbestos Cement Roof
S. Asbestos Cement Panels
T. Roofing Felt

Only One Primary Area of Concern in the Property is Tested for Asbestos. There is an Additional Charge for Each Area Beyond the Primary Area.

NextDay Inspect Offers Asbestos Testing as an Add-On to Home Inspection Services

Common Materials That Contain Asbestos

Asbestos was very commonly used in the 1900s but became mostly banned in the 1980s. Asbestos is resistant to heat and corrosion, has high tensile strength, and can be divided into fibers. Building materials that are not glass or solid wood may contain asbestos.

Common materials that contain asbestos are insulations, ceiling panels, flooring tiles, exterior stuccos, etc. The only way to find out if the material has asbestos is to test it.

Walls and Ceiling

Product	% of Asbestos	Years Used	Binder	Friable/NonFriable
Sprayed coating	Less than 1 - 95	1935-1978	Portland Cement, Sodium Silicates, Organic Binders	Yes
Troweled coating	Less than 1 - 95	1936-1978	Portland Cement, Sodium Silicates	Yes
Asbestos-Cement Sheet	10-50	1930-present	Portland Cement	No
Spackle	Less than 1-5	1930-1978	Starch, Casein, Synthetic Resins	Yes
Joint Compounds	Less than 1-5	1945-1977	Asphalt	Yes
Textured Paints	Less than 1-15	1930-1978	None	Yes
Millboard, Rollboard	80-85	1925-1989	Starch, Lime, Clay	Yes
Vinyl Wallpaper	6-8	1930-1980	None	No
Insulation Board	30	1930-1980	Silicates	Yes

Floors

Product	% of Asbestos	Years Used	Binder	Friable/NonFriable
Vinyl-Asbestos Tile	1 - 20	1950-1980	Poly(vinyl) Chloride	No
Asphalt-Asbestos Tile	1 - 20	1920-1980	Asphalt	No
Resilient Sheet Flooring	15	1950-1980	Dry Oils	No
Mastic Adhesives	2-20	1945-1980	Asphalt	Yes

Roofing and Siding

Product	% of Asbestos	Years Used	Binder	Friable/NonFriable
Roofing Felts	5-40	1910-Present	Asphalt	No
Roof Felt Shingles	1-10	1971-1974	Asphalt	Yes
Roofing Shingles	10-25	1900s-Present	Portland Cement	No
Roofing Tiles	10-25	1930-Present	Portland Cement	No
Siding Shingles	10-20	1900s-Present	Portland Cement	No
Clapboards	10-20	1944-1945	Portland Cement	No

Pipers and Boilers

Product	% of Asbestos	Years Used	Binder	Friable/NonFriable
Cement Pipe And Fittings	10-25	1935-present	Portland Cement	No
Block Insulation	5-40	1890-1978	Magnesium Carbonate, Calcium Silicate	Yes
Preformed Pipe Wrap	30-90	1926-1975	Magnesium Carbonate, Calcium Silicate	Yes
Corrugated Asbestos Paper	30-90 and 35-70	1935-1980 and 1910-1980	Sodium Silicate, Starch	Yes
Paper Tape	30-90	1901-1980	Polymers, Starches, Silicates	Yes
Putty (Muddling)	20-100	1900-1973	Clay	Yes

Asbestos Effect on Health

When asbestos is disturbed or damaged, it releases asbestos fibers that can be easily inhaled. When it is inhaled, asbestos has harmful effects on the human body. It can leave scars in the lung tissues. Being exposed to asbestos for an extended period can lead to lung cancer, disabilities, and even death.

Schedule Your Asbestos Testing

Six Types of Asbestos

Chrysotile

Known as White Asbestos, it is the most commonly used type of asbestos. It has strong heat-resistant properties and can be found in roofs, floors, walls, and ceilings of buildings. It is also used for cars such as brake lines and gaskets.

Anthophyllite

Rare type of asbestos. Anthophyllite was not very used in products, and it may have a grey, dull green, or white color. Anthophyllite can be found in insulation products and construction materials.

Amosite

Known as Brown Asbestos, it is the second most commonly used type of asbestos. It can be found in thermal insulation products, insulation boards, cement, and pipe insulation. Like chrysotile, it is also used in gaskets.

Tremolite

Not very commonly used in products and known to have strong heat-resistant properties. While this may not be used commercially, it can be found as contaminants of Chrysotile Asbestos.

Crocidolite

Known as Blue Asbestos, It is less heat-resistant than Chrysotile. When damaged, the fibers are extremely thin, leading to more lung damage than any other asbestos type. Crocidolite is used to insulate steam engines, spray-on coatings, plastic and cement products.

Amosite

Schedule Your Asbestos Testing

Take a Look at a Sample Report

Get an idea of the format and items that would be listed under a Mold & Moisture Testing Report.