How do I know if there is an asbestos hazard in my home?

Unfortunately, identifying asbestos in the home is not always easy. You can't tell whether a material contains asbestos simply by looking at it, unless it is labeled. The only way to be sure whether a material contains asbestos is to have it sampled and analyzed.

Usually a homeowner should have a professional asbestos inspector take samples of any materials they suspect may contain asbestos because of the potential danger of asbestos fibers becoming airborne while collecting the material.

The type of sample you need is a bulk, or core sample. This is a small cutting of all the layers of the material from the bottom to the surface.

Although it is advisable to hire a professional to take a bulk sample, it is possible for a you to take a material sample yourself if you carefully follow the steps below. (This procedure was adapted from the "Homeowner Bulk Sampling Procedure" of the Vermont Department of Health.) An asbestos sampling kit, which includes instructions, sample bags, and laboratory analysis, is available from Purisys, (212) 315-1222.

NOTE: If possible, samples should be taken from an area that is already damaged or deteriorating. If this is not possible, take the sample from an area that is away from high activity.

Materials Needed to Take the Sample

1. Misting or spray bottle filled with water and 2-3 drops of household dish detergent
2. Disposable rubber gloves
3. Utility or razor knife
4. 3-4 zip-lock plastic bags
5. Latex paint
6. Respirator and goggles*
7. Plastic, disposable dropcloth at least 3' x 3'
8. Wet paper towels
9. Plastic garbage bag

* NOTE: The EPA recommends that, at a minimum, a half-face respirator fitted with disposable high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters approved by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) be worn when taking an asbestos sample. Many hardware stores sell respirators. Respirators may also be ordered from Lab Safety Supply, (800) 356-0783.

Steps to Take the Sample

1. Place the plastic drop cloth on the floor under the area to be sampled.
2. Approximately 15 minutes before you take the sample, completely wet the area to be sampled using the spray bottle.
3. Put on the respirator, goggles, and disposable gloves.
4. Rewet the area to be sampled.
5. Open a ziplock bag and hold it underneath the area to be sampled to catch any loose material along with your sample.
6. Take the sample very carefully. Use a sharp knife to cut a small piece of the material--about the size of a sugar cube. Be sure to cut through all layers of the suspect material. Let the sample fall into the plastic bag.
7. Carefully place the sample inside the ziplock bag without touching the outside of the bag with the sample. Set the bag down. Do not seal it.
8. Remove the gloves by turning them inside out. Seal them in a different plastic bag and throw them away.
9. Evacuate the air from the sample bag and seal it. Then seal the bag inside another plastic bag. If you are taking more than one sample, each sample must be separately bagged and labeled.
10. Completely wash the instruments used to take the sample. This should be done outside using a hose or a bucket of water.
11. Seal the sampled area using latex paint or duct tape (when taking samples of pipe or boiler insulation). Apply the paint or sealant with a small, disposable brush.
12. Clean any debris that has fallen on the walls or floor by wet-wiping the area with a wet paper towel. Do not vacuum. (Asbestos fibers can go right through a household vacuum bag.) Dispose of the used paper towels in a ziplock bag.
13. Remove the respirator and goggles.
14. Wash your hands thoroughly.

Having the Sample Analyzed

The sample should be sent to a laboratory approved by the EPA. The laboratory analysis will identify the type of asbestos fibers if any are present as well as the percentage of asbestos within the material. It is best to treat material which could contain asbestos as if it does, until and unless reliable laboratory analysis proves otherwise.

The National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) has a list of EPA-approved laboratories. You can get this list from:

Laboratory Accreditation Administration
National Institute for Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899
(301) 975-4016

Your state or local health department and the Asbestos Victims Special Fund Trust may also be able to help.

Air sampling is highly recommended after asbestos is removed from an area, but can be misleading as an evaluation method to first test for asbestos in your home. Air sampling only tells you the concentration of asbestos in the air at a given moment. Thus, you may be exposed to asbestos the next time a material is disturbed which had not been disturbed at the time of the measurement. For this reason, we do not recommend air sampling alone as a way to determine whether you have an asbestos hazard in your home.