If you suspect that you may have loose-fill asbestos fiber, do not try to clean it up. Call an asbestos professional immediately. Loose-fill asbestos fiber can be a pale white color, or it could be a darker, dirty color, depending on how old or how dirty it is. Look in your attic for loose-fill asbestos.
It is very easy to overspray asbestos coating, so there may also be some splashback in the area around your roof from when the coating was installed. Call an asbestos professional immediately if you think your roof may have asbestos spray coating.
AIB can be found in partition walls, ceiling tiles, panels below windows, and as fireproofing panels in fire doors. If you believe you may have AIB in your building, call a professional to inspect it. Do not try to remove it yourself to bring for testing.
Do not try to remove insulation that could contain asbestos yourself. There are strict standards regarding the handling and disposal of asbestos.
Even if you think you’re sure that your building doesn’t contain asbestos insulation, you should still get an inspection if you plan any major remodeling.
If you have crumbling drywall or your ceiling is falling apart, get an inspection to make sure there isn’t any asbestos in the material.
If you had a home inspection, it’s likely that they did not look for asbestos insulation. Knowing when your building was built can also tell you if there are any other potential toxins, like lead, that may be present.
Insulation that is crumbling or flaking can get into the air and be breathed in by people. If there’s asbestos present in the insulation, it could cause serious harm to anyone who breathes it in.
Choose 2 firms that aren’t connected to each other or hire a separate inspector to help you decide if you should pay a firm certified to remove asbestos from your building. Look online for asbestos removal firms in your area.
Local laws and regulations regarding asbestos removal and disposal can vary, so you need to make sure that the professionals that you hire are following the proper procedures.
Look for any safety violations reported against them or if any legal actions have been filed against them. Call your local air pollution board (sometimes referred to as an air quality department or agency) or go online to search the work history of the firm you intend you hire.
Use a different firm than the one that you hired to inspect your building to remove the asbestos. Be sure to get written verification that the asbestos was removed properly.
