Identifying asbestos and asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) by sight is not an easy task, and it typically requires the help of an asbestos professional. If you have identified a potential source of asbestos exposure in your home, workplace, school, or vehicle, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) recommends that you take a sample (or better yet, have a professional asbestos removal service take the sample), and send it to a laboratory. You can find a laboratory that does asbestos testing by checking online or in any business phone directory.

Potential Asbestos Products in Your Home

Below is a brief list of potential asbestos products that have been used in homes (especially those built before the late 1970s):

• Some roofing and siding shingles
• Insulation for oil and coal furnaces and door gaskets
• Textured paint and patching compounds, including "popcorn" ceilings
• Artificial ashes and embers for gas-fired fireplaces
• Asbestos paper, millboard, or cement sheets around wood burning stoves
• Vinyl floor tiles, and the backing on vinyl sheet flooring
• Ceiling tiles
• Hot water and steam pipes covered with asbestos tape or coated with an asbestos material
• Exterior caulking, window glazes

Asbestos Fibers in the Air

Asbestos fibers are not easily identified since the fibers are so tiny ─ about a thousand times thinner than a human hair. However, it is the fibers that are so dangerous. When they are released into the air, they may be inhaled and lodge in the internal organs.

If you have identified an ACM in your home but it is not deteriorating, it may be best to just leave it alone. If you're not sure, or if the material must be removed as part of a renovation plan, the EPA recommends that the removal be done by a certified asbestos removal professional.

Asbestos Is a Carcinogen

Asbestos is a human carcinogen—it causes cancer, including lung cancer and mesothelioma. If you'd like to find out more about asbestos-related illnesses or if you've been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, contact us online today. We'll help you explore your options.