Asbestos Inspection and Testing

Why you may need asbestos testing:

Asbestos is a component of some building materials, and is known to be a hazardous carcinogen. Home owners, landlords, and contractors must perform testing or site surveys prior to disturbing or demolishing building any building materials that may contain asbestos. Although most people aware of the potential for asbestos content in popcorn ceiling, vinyl tiles, and pipe insulation; any building material that is not made of wood, metal, or glass may contain asbestos. An AHERA accredited inspector will help you to determine the appropriate sampling plan and protocol to ensure that you protect yourself from health impacts and liabilities, without wasting money on abating unnecessary materials. We would be happy to discuss your project specifics and come up with a plan that satisfies the legal and health obligations without excessive costs and fees.

When do you need an inspection:

Any time you are remodeling, demolishing, repairing or otherwise disturbing materials that may contain asbestos, an asbestos inspection is required. Unfortunately, building owners and contractors are often unaware of the needs for asbestos inspections until late in the project. A qualified AHERA inspector can help to limit abatement costs and provide a thorough report that will get the project done safely and within all relevant laws and regulation. A complete report will include photos, floor-plan, and description of all suspect materials. If you contractor simply looks around, takes a few samples, and sends you a lab report you are not getting your money’s worth!

Floor-plans:

A good survey will include floor-plans with the locations of all suspect materials clearly labeled. This takes time, but is invaluable to the client. With this detailed information it is easy to get pricing on abatement and walk regulators through the project.

How the process works:

First, we need to know what your renovation plans are so we do not damage materials that will not be worked on or replaced. Asbestos sampling is inherently destructive, and we do not perform a full repair of the sample sites. After the initial conversation and sample estimate is delivered, we will schedule a time to visit your home to perform the materials sampling. Once at your home we will recap the renovation plans and discuss how many samples are needed after we see the home first-hand and take the applicable measurements.

The final survey report will be delivered after the sample collection is complete and the lab performs its independent analysis. That report details where asbestos was found and what needs to be removed by an abatement company. The testing process is done that that point…. most of the time. Sometimes the lab reports the asbestos content as less that 1% but we still need to label those results as asbestos-containing materials because the initial analysis result needs to be verified. Verification is done by an additional step called a Point Count which is conclusive enough to remove the requirement for abatement if the material is shown to be 1.0% or less. Another scenario where an additional Point Count analysis will be beneficial is when asbestos is only found in the joint compound on drywall. In either case, the extra Point Count(s) will be very likely to remove the need for abatement and help you conserve your remodel budget. These extra analysis and the associated costs will never be applied without the explicit permission of the client.