How to Know if There is Asbestos in Buildings

Asbestos was used in construction for many years. Though asbestos was banned in the United States in 1989 by the EPA with the Asbestos Ban and Phase Out Rule, many homes built before that time still contain it. Asbestos can be found in many areas of a home, such as insulation, textured paints, vinyl floor tiles and hot water pipes. Studies have shown that people exposed to high levels of asbestos fibers have an increased risk of lung cancer. However, if your building contains asbestos, it often should be left alone if the material is in good condition.

Things You'll Need

• Disposable gloves
• Plastic sheet
• Misting water bottle
• Detergent
• Small knife
• 35 mm film canister
• Duct tape
• Label

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Instructions

• 1

  Put on disposable gloves, like dish-washing gloves from the grocery store, when removing the asbestos sample. This will prevent asbestos fibers from sticking to your skin.

• 2

  Turn off all heating or cooling systems. This will help to minimize the risk of asbestos spreading as you take a sample.

• 3

  Place a plastic sheet on the floor under the area where you will be taking the sample. This will catch fibers that fall.

• 4

  Create a solution of water and a few drops (four or five) of detergent in a misting water bottle.

• 5

  Spray the area to be sampled. Ensure that the entire area is wet to help minimize the release of asbestos fibers.

• 6

  Using a small knife, remove a piece of the sample area. Make sure that the removed piece includes the entire depth of the material, whether it is to the pipe, floor or wall.

• 7

  Place the sample into a 35 mm film canister, and seal the canister tightly.

• 8

  Dispose of the plastic sheet carefully. Roll the sheet up tightly before removing it from the floor to help ensure that none of the fallen fibers end up on the floor.

• 9

  Cover the sampled area with a small piece of duct tape. The duct tape should only be large enough to barely cover the area where the sample was removed.

• 10

  Place a label on the film canister, and mark the label with the exact location where the sample was taken.

• 11

  Send the sample to an analysis laboratory accredited by the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP).