How can you tell if there is asbestos in your house?

Determining whether a house contains asbestos or not involves verifying repairs made to the home over the life of the house, investigating the house's age and contacting experts with asbestos to ascertain whether the material is present. Talking to an asbestos remediation expert allows for a thorough inspection of the home.

Asbestos was heavily used in the early to mid-1900s. Modern homes do not use asbestos due to the dangers associated with it. Asbestos is not easy to identify with the naked eye.

1. Check any documentation
Housing renovations and improvements have to be documented. If the house is newer, then it likely has never had asbestos used in it. Older homes could have had asbestos removed or even partially removed. Checking building permits can help to clarify that.
2. Hire an expert
Asbestos was used primarily in insulation, but it was also used in other building materials, such as ceiling tiles. An expert in asbestos remediation knows exactly what to look for and what tests to run.
3. Leave crumbing materials alone
While waiting for test results, leave anything that could contain asbestos alone. If it is in good shape, then there is no danger if the material is made from asbestos. If the material is crumbling or damaged, then it could be extremely dangerous if it does indeed contain asbestos.