You and your fiancée just closed on a house and are finally going to move out of your parents’ basement; what an exciting time. The place that you bought is in a nice neighborhood. The home is older, dating back to the ’50s, but it has excellent bones and curb appeal. The previous owners did some upgrades over the years, but most of the house is dated, and you want to spruce it up. But before disturbing anything, you want to know if you have asbestos.
How to test for asbestos
There is no way to know if you have asbestos just by looking at ACM (Asbestos Containing Material); you need to collect a sample and test it by an accredited asbestos testing lab. The samples will be tested under PLM—Polarized Light Microscopy.
But first, you need to decide which material you will be disturbing that can contain asbestos. If the ACM is not disturbed, there is no risk of asbestos fibers becoming loose and airborne. So, you don’t need to test the material if you will disrupt it.
If you feel confident in doing the work yourself, you will first need to gather some tools for the job. A sharp knife, small jars, a permanent marker, a half-mask respirator that fits perfectly on your face with P-100 filters; they are magenta. You may also need a good ladder or step stool tall enough to reach your ceiling, latex gloves, and maybe a Tyvek® suit.
Cut a 3-inch square piece of the material and place it in the jar, labeling it with the location and number. You will take two samples of each ACM in case there is a false positive. You should also take some photos of each piece next to where it was collected.
Asbestos testing cost
You can save yourself about $300 by sampling yourself and sending it to an asbestos testing lab for analysis. The cost to test a sample is about $25 each. But if you feel uncomfortable doing this yourself, hire a professional inspector with an AHERA certification.
Asbestos testing near me
Need help with asbestos testing, or have some questions? The professionals at 5 Microns Inc. are AHERA certified building inspectors and would love to help you. They are in the Seattle area and service the entire State of Washington. You can also drop off or send them your samples for asbestos testing. Call 425-440-8787 between the hours of 9 am and 5 pm Monday to Friday, and 9 am to 3:30 pm Saturday for support.
Asbestos testing lab
5 Microns Inc.
7100 Fort Dent Way #100
Tukwila, WA 98188
O 425-440-8787
C 206-536-0264
M-F 9-5, Sat 9-3:30
Asbestos
Mold
Drinking-Water
Radon Gas
Air Quality
Testing Lab
MBE, DBE: D3M0026650
IMPORTANT-MUST READ FIRST: All mail-in samples must have a tracking number and include our asbestos chain of custody form to be processed. If the chain of custody form is missing, your piece (s) will not be accepted and processed. Drop-offs MUST have the COC form inside your package but not in the sample bag. DO NOT MAIL YOUR SAMPLES BY FIRST CLASS MAIL. Send your sample(s) via USPS Priority Mail, UPS, and FedEx. It is essential to closely follow these directions so our asbestos testing lab can promptly process your sample(s).
Asbestos testing lab near me
*PLEASE NOTE FOR ALL DROP-OFFS: All samples must be dropped off at the back of the office building located at 7100 Fort Dent Way Tukwila WA outside the Tabor 100 Office and placed inside the black drop-box pictured below. Do not take your samples to the front desk. The front desk will not accept drop-offs over the counter, NO EXCEPTIONS!
5 Microns Inc. Sample Drop Box
