Asbestos answers for homeowners
Found a popcorn ceiling, old floor tiles or pebbly attic insulation? Find out whether it could be asbestos, what to do about it, what testing and removal cost, and what you're allowed to do yourself.
Popcorn ceilings: the decor choice that keeps on giving.
Free tools
- Could it be asbestos?Pick a material and the year your home was built to see what official sources say.
- CostsPublished price ranges for testing and removal, for your job size.
- State rulesCan you remove it yourself? Permits, contractors and disposal where you live.
The short version
- You can't tell by looking. Only a lab test confirms asbestos (EPA).
- If it's in good shape and you're leaving it alone, leave it alone. Undamaged asbestos isn't likely to be a health risk, and you don't need to test it (EPA).
- Before you sand, drill, scrape or tear anything out of an older home, get it tested. Disturbing asbestos is what releases the fibers.
- Removal is a job for trained, accredited professionals, EPA says. Some states let homeowners do it under strict conditions; check your state.
Where asbestos hides in older homes
- Popcorn ceilingsCeilings sprayed in the 1950s–1970s often did. Testing, risks and removal costs.
- Floor tiles9×9 tiles, sheet vinyl backing and black adhesive in older homes.
- Vermiculite insulationEPA says to assume it contains asbestos and leave it alone.
- Pipe and boiler insulationWhite pipe wrap and boiler insulation in older homes. Treat it as asbestos.
- Siding and roofingCement siding and shingles on older homes. Safe while intact; don't cut or break them.
- Joint compound and textured paintWalls finished before the 1977–78 ban. Test before you sand.
Found something? Disturbed something?
- I found asbestosLeave it, repair it or remove it: what EPA says to do.
- I disturbed asbestosStop work, keep people out, don't sweep or vacuum, and talk to your doctor.
- Buying a house with asbestosWhat it means for safety, your inspection, renovation plans and price.
- HealthHow exposure causes harm, symptoms, latency and what to do if you were exposed.
Where our information comes from
Everything about safety and health on Assbestos comes from official sources: the EPA, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the CDC's ATSDR, the National Cancer Institute, OSHA and state agencies. Every guide links to its sources and shows when it was last reviewed. Our sources