Key Takeaways:
Asbestos suspect materials can include floor tiles, ceiling textures, drywall joint compound, insulation, roofing products, and many other common building materials.
Professional asbestos testing is essential because suspect materials cannot be confirmed as asbestos-containing without laboratory analysis by a certified inspector.
Certified asbestos inspections help homeowners and contractors identify suspect materials before remodeling or demolition, protecting health and ensuring compliance with Colorado regulations.
Asbestos: What materials are considered suspect?
In the state of Colorado, you must presume any suspect material is asbestos-containing until you have it tested by a Certified Asbestos Building Inspector. As an Environmental Consulting Company, a question we have heard thousands of times is, “How do we know what materials are considered suspect to be asbestos-containing?” In all actuality, there are materials considered suspect that you wouldn’t even think could possibly be asbestos-containing, some of the most commonly overlooked materials that could be asbestos-containing are wall and ceiling texture and joint compound in drywall. These are materials that are used in the construction of every home. The following list is not intended to include every suspect material, it is just intended to show what types of material may contain asbestos. Suspect materials include but are not limited to (materials in bold are common household items):
HVAC Duct Insulation
Breaching insulation
Cement Wallboard
Vinyl Floor Tiles
Decorative Plaster
Taping compounds
Caulking/Putties
Taping Compounds (Thermal)
Spackle compounds
Roofing Shingles
Electrical cloth
Insulation
Cement Pipes
Cement Siding
Electric Panel Partitions
Pipe Insulation
Duct work
Fire Curtains
Fire Blankets
Thermal Paper Products
Packing materials (for wall/floor penetrations)
Blown-in insulation
Chalkboards
Textured surfacing material
Elevator Brake Shoes
Boiler Insulation
Sheet Vinyl Flooring
Heating and Electrical Ducts
Ceiling tiles and Lay-in Panels
Roofing Felt
Electrical Wiring Insulation
Floor Tiles
Over-spray
Construction Mastic’s
Adhesives
Surfacing materials
Most people assume that asbestos is illegal, therefore if their home was built before a certain date, that they are safe. That is incorrect. Although materials containing asbestos are no longer manufactured in the United States, companies can still legally import, use, and sell both raw asbestos and asbestos containing materials, which is how they are still being used today. https://www.epa.gov/asbestos/epa-actions-protect-public-exposure-asbestos
Floor tiles and mastic
Exposure to asbestos even one time can have serious effects on your health!
- For information on asbestos exposure, check out this link to the Mesothelioma center: https://www.asbestos.com/exposure/home/.
Regulation 8 will advise on Air Quality Control Commission regulations, learn more here:https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/aqcc-regs
Can you tell which of these materials are asbestos-containing?
Planning a Remodel?
If you are planning a remodel or demolition of your home, be sure to have the home inspected by a Certified Asbestos Building Inspector. Not doing so is not only illegal, it could be detrimental to your health. To learn more about what you should do before beginning a remodel or demolition project, check out our blog: https://buildsafeenvironmental.com/asbestos-testing-remodeling-blog/. Contact BuildSafe before beginning construction on your home!! Call us at 720-598-0601 or email us at contact@buildsafeenviro.com. To learn more about Colorado State regulation regarding asbestos, refer to the CDPHE https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/categories/services-and-information/environment/asbestos
