Hiring a professional to inspect the property is the only way to be 100% sure about the presence of asbestos. If the inspector finds evidence of asbestos, you will need to reach out for professional removal.
Asbestos in walls | Recognize asbestos in plaster
Finally, because asbestos is not visible to the naked eye, the best way to detect the presence of asbestos in your home is to have materials tested in laboratories as soon as its presence is suspected. Asbestos was used in building materials between the 1920s and 1990s.
It is often impossible to tell whether asbestos is embedded in a material, as the fibers are too small to be observed with the naked eye. Exposure to asbestos is responsible for serious respiratory conditions, so thorough testing is required to ensure your home is asbestos-free.
Asbestos Cement:
Main asbestos type: Chrysotile (White) asbestos. Main colours: Light & dark grey.
Ripping out plaster means you have to dispose of it. It may have asbestos fibres which means it may be dangerous to rip out, releasing fibres into the air. Leaving it and repairing it is much more safe.
Plaster and lath removal generates significant debris, but a remodeling dumpster rental can ease the process. These rentals provide a convenient way to handle waste and keep your project site clean.
In a word, 'cost'. Though there were advantages to the lath and plaster technique – it more easily allowed for ornamental or decorative shapes, provided sound insulation and helped to slow fire spread – new materials superseded lath and plaster because they were simply faster and less expensive to install.
From the 1920s to the 1970s, many plaster products contained asbestos.
Asbestos cement sheeting can feel hard and brittle. Asbestos cement sheeting is white to grey in colour. It is usually flat and smooth, and may be painted or have dimples like a golf ball on one side.
As for how to test for asbestos yourself, only some states allow homeowners to perform a home asbestos test. Check with your state's environmental agency or health department first. If they allow it, you'll be able to purchase a kit with instructions on how to test for asbestos in the air.
The Consumer Product Safety Act of 1972 banned asbestos in artificial fireplace embers and wall patching compounds. The Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 says the EPA can restrict substances including asbestos.
Reproductive problems, high blood pressure, nerve disorders and concentration problems have all been linked to lead poisoning. Most American homes containing traditional plaster were built before World War II, meaning they are candidates for lead-based paint.
The only way to be sure whether a material contains asbestos is to have it tested by a qualified laboratory. EPA only recommends testing suspect materials if they are damaged (fraying, crumbling) or if you are planning a renovation that would disturb the suspect material.
Plastering Over Artex with Asbestos
Undertaking this work can make the material safer however it should be noted that the asbestos is still in situ beneath and future works such as drilling should be undertaken in a controlled manner to avoid fibre release.
N95 masks do not protect against gases, vapors and cannot be used for asbestos, and they do not provide oxygen.
Most of the asbestos-containing plaster has a 'popcorn' texture. The style of the building can also be a good indicator, since art deco houses are more likely to contain asbestos than those with other architectural styles.
There is no way to know whether these materials contain asbestos without having them tested.
Your older home probably did not come with an inventory of all asbestos containing materials, but if the house in which you live was built before 1980, there's a good chance that you'll find asbestos containing materials in the walls, ceiling, roof or floors – or all of the above.
Sprayed coatings on ceilings, walls and beams/columns
This asbestos material will usually look white or grey in colour will usually have a rough surface and may also have been painted over. It was used for insulation on the underside of roofs and sometimes on the sides of buildings and warehouses.
By the late 1930s, rock lath was the primary method used in residential plastering. Lath and plaster methods have mostly been replaced with modern drywall or plasterboard, which is faster and less expensive to install.
Note that if your home is historical, you should consider repairing the plaster instead of tearing it down. If you decide to replace the plaster with drywall, be sure to get permission from local organizations as you would when making any major change to a historic home.
Unfortunately, there wasn't a regulated or realistic way to ensure that all older buildings using plaster walls were asbestos-free. Asbestos was commonly added to plaster until the late 1980s, as it was seen as an inexpensive way to add to the plaster's insulation and fire-retardant properties.
The Pushpin Test
This is a fail-safe method that will quickly tell you what materials make up your wall. All you need to do is take a simple thumbtack and try to push it through your walls. If the pushpin penetrates the wall, you have drywall. If it doesn't, you have plaster.