You just closed on a new house that was built in 1956 and is has this green outdated 9″ x 9″ vinyl floor tile that you want to replace, but your contractor tells you that it may contain asbestos and that you will need to get it tested before he lets his crew tare it out for fear of exposing them to asbestos. You check around for pricing on asbestos testing cost and find out that you can hire a certified asbestos consultant to get something tested for asbestos on your behalf. He will perform a complete survey in the process and produce a full report with his certificate. The consultant will charge you a service fee plus a charge for each sample he collects. But during your research, you learn that you can also get a piece of the asbestos-containing material yourself and take it to an asbestos testing lab for analysis.
Because you are on a tight budget and the area with the asbestos-containing material is relatively small, you decide to take a sample yourself. It is an excellent solution. Just make sure you are taking the proper measures when taking a piece of asbestos-containing material to be tested to ensure everyone’s safety in your home.
How do you get something tested for asbestos?
The first thing you want to do is to get yourself some personal protective equipment. I recommend you wear some latex gloves, use a spray bottle with a little detergent and water, a box knife, a couple of sandwich bags, and a marker. You will need to get at least two samples of the asbestos-containing material from different areas. Cut the pieces to about 3 square inches, making sure that you also get the glue underneath. And if you see more vinyl sheeting or tile underneath the part you have collected, you will also need to manage these other layers down to the substrate’s wood. You need to place the samples in the sandwich bags and label them with a number and location. Once you have completed the material collection, it is now time to take them to an asbestos testing lab for analysis. You will need to fill out an asbestos chain of custody form that you will include with your samples for processing at the asbestos testing lab. If you don’t have an asbestos testing lab nearby, you can also send a sample for asbestos testing by mail. Upon receiving your pieces, the asbestos testing lab will inspect the models using Polarized Light Microscopy.
How much does it cost to get something tested for asbestos?
The asbestos testing lab will charge between $26-30 per sample to test for asbestos and will also deliver the results to you either by mail, in-person, or to an email address that you provide within two to three days of receipt. You can choose to have the results as quickly as the same day, but a rush fee may be applied.
Where can I send a sample for asbestos testing?
If you need to get something tested for asbestos, you can contact 5 Microns Inc. for assistance. Our consultants can come to you, or you can send a sample for asbestos testing. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns with testing for asbestos. We hope this article was informative and would love to hear from you.
Mail in samples to the following address *at Tabor 100 co-working offices:
5 Microns Inc.
7100 Fort Dent Way #100
Tukwila, WA 98188
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 sample(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).
*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!
