Asbestos Tile Testing

Found in many manufactured products prior to the mid 1980 such as pipe insulation ceiling and floor tiles paints caulking fire resistant clothing and brake pads.

Asbestos tile testing.

Exposure to asbestos from flooring that contains vinyl tiles in good condition is considered low. However if the vinyl material is damaged or disturbed there is a risk of exposure to asbestos fibres. Asbestos tiles can be difficult to identify because you can t see the asbestos in the tile. Vinyl is a type of plastic that has long been a popular material for floor tiles and sheets.

You can also have a flooring sample tested for asbestos using one of the certified asbestos testing labs in this asbestos testing lab list. Asbestos testing kits are available in diy stores and online for between 10 and 45. Asbestos exposure may pose serious health risks. Asbestos is a mineral that occurs naturally in the environment that is made up of long thin fibers that look similar to fiberglass.

Unlike many asbestos containing materials vinyl asbestos flooring is generally safe to be around. Step 3 date the tiles. Also it helps to know whether or not a pre paid mailer is included. Therefore it is recommended to test for asbestos before any renovations are undertaken so necessary precautions can be made to minimise exposure.

If you have time and about 40. Another time period that asbestos floors were popular in was between the years of 1920 and 1960. Samples tested will reveal whether there is a high medium low or negative asbestos risk. Other times you pay twice.

Sometimes the initial asbestos testing kit includes both the kit fee and the laboratory fee. Because asbestos was widely used before 1980 if you have flooring tiles that were installed before then you need to test a piece of the flooring to make sure it s safe. One of the best ways to deal with asbestos tile is to leave it in place and cover it with new flooring. When pricing out asbestos testing kits be sure to ascertain whether you must pay twice.

The asbestos floor tile identification articles in this series illustrate that with the combination of design appearance and an idea of floor tile age many asbestos containing floor tiles or sheet flooring products can be reliably identified even before confirmation by a test by a certified asbestos testing laboratory. You can test the tile yourself or hire an asbestos professional to inspect and. One of the main ingredients used in old asbestos tiles was asphalt so they were primarily made in dark colors only. For example if the test comes back as low risk you might want to get an expert in to repair any damage.

But that changes as soon as you decide to remove it. A small fee for the kit then a larger fee for the lab results. If you face a costly dusty messy demolition it may be appropriate to have a sample of the flooring tested. The same applies to medium risk.