Materials That Could Contain Asbestos

The use of asbestos in building materials and other products reached its height in the mid-20th century. It has since been officially outlawed, as of 2019, but it’s important to know some products that could contain asbestos in your home or property.

Some products and materials that could contain asbestos include:

• Popcorn ceilings
• Plaster
• Vinyl sheets and tiles
• Drywall
• Roofing shingles
• Pipe insulation
• Air filters
• Electrical insulation and more

If you own a home or commercial property built before the 1990s, it’s almost guaranteed to contain asbestos products and materials. Even if it was built after, it’s still possible, although using asbestos products and materials has become less and less frequent.

Testing and Inspection for Asbestos

If you’re looking to do any demolition or renovation on your home or property, you are required, by Federal law, to have an inspection of the property. Fortunately, ACM certified experts have over 20 years of experience surveying and inspecting properties of all kinds.

The process for inspection involves a visual overview, an inventory of contaminated products and materials, and sampling taking. The samples are then sent to a lab for testing, and once the results are in, the inspector will provide an inspection report with removal recommendations.

Be aware that the inspection process can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days, depending on the scale of the property. The sample analysis will take 7 to 10 days to receive the results.

Types of Asbestos Removal

Once you’ve received the results of your inspection, you can move forward with the expert recommendations. Typically, there are two main ways of handling asbestos contamination:

• Encapsulation: Using a sealant to coat the asbestos product and material. This coating will ensure the particles won’t become airborne.
• Abatement: The safe removal of asbestos products and materials from the property. This process includes disposing of contaminated materials according to state and federal regulations.

The asbestos removal process will likely be one or a combination of these removal types.

Asbestos Removal Process

A very strict protocol is followed to remove asbestos products and materials safely. Since every building is different, as is the level of contamination, no two removal processes will look the same. However, general steps are taken each time asbestos is removed and disposed of.

The general process of asbestos removal is as follows:

• Cut off the contaminated area from all ventilation, including shutting down HVAC units and sealing vents.
• Remove any unnecessary personnel from the building.
• Seal off the contaminated area with plastic sheeting.
• Utilize negative pressure / filtered exhaust systems.
• ACM specialists will wear proper safety attire, including coveralls and full-face mask respirators.
• Remove all products and materials and place them in clearly labeled air-tight containers
• Clean up the area using HEPA filter vacuums and wet cleanup tools.

After removal, specialists follow proper decontamination protocols, including containing or disposing of spoiled clothing and washing off before changing back into street clothes. ACM utilizes mobile decontamination trailers and purpose-built site-specific decontamination units for this purpose.

Specialists will conduct air monitoring throughout the process to ensure a safe environment. All contaminated materials will be disposed of adhering to all strict regulations and guidelines.