Asbestos Testing Kit

Doing renovations in your home is important, but before, it is recommended that you use an asbestos test kit to determine what your house is actually made from to avoid any contact with asbestos.

Asbestos is the name given to a group of naturally occurring mineral fibers that have been using in products in the building and construction industries for many years largely due to their strength and insulating properties as well as their resistance to fire and erosion.

In recent years, it has been found that the tiny fibers making up each asbestos product can become airborne if disturbed or in a friable state (i.e. can be crushed easily in the hand). Inhalation of these airborne fibers can cause the following diseases:

- Asbestosis

- Lung Cancer

- Pleural Plaques

- Pleural Thickening

- Mesothelioma

In general, a large ongoing exposure to asbestos fibers is required before an asbestos related disease will develop. Asbestos generally kills around 25-40 years after exposure, so it's important to keep in mind that while you might not feel symptoms immediately there are long-term repercussions if you do not work with asbestos cautiously.

Importantly, asbestos products that a non-friable (i.e. in a solid state and not easily crushed in the hand) do not pose a health risk if they are in good condition, well maintained, and not disturbed. However, it is important to monitor all asbestos in your home to ensure you can take prompt action if non-friable asbestos becomes friable.

It is not always possible to tell if a material contains asbestos simply by looking at it. Sometimes the only way to tell is by getting a sample analyzed by a professional, or by you. If in doubt it's best to always treat a product as having asbestos until you know for sure.

A cost-effective way for testing the presence of asbestos in your home is to use an asbestos test kit. The best kits can identify asbestos fibers to as little as 1% content by weight and are more sensitive than EPA guidelines require. These tests use polarized light microscopy (PLM) to get accurate results. If you think there is an asbestos problem in your home these kits are perfect.