Asbestos in Textured Ceilings
Before deciding to tear down your 1960s era textured ceiling, you should consider whether that textured ceiling contains asbestos fibers. Textured ceilings (also called popcorn ceilings, or acoustic ceilings) put up between 1950 and the mid-1980s may have asbestos in them, as asbestos was used in many building products for its fire resistance, strength, inexpensive price, and relatively simple integration into compounds.
When Was Asbestos Outlawed?
Asbestos was outlawed for most residential uses in 1978; however, builders and remodelers were allowed to continue using any stock they still had on hand. This means that asbestos could be in houses built has late as the mid-1980s, although an occurrence as late as 1983 would be rare.
Can I Test My Ceiling for Asbestos?
Testing for asbestos in textured ceilings is a simple task. Many sites online offer asbestos testing at a relatively cheap cost. These sites provide instructions for safely removing the potential asbestos-containing material (in this case, textured ceilings) without risking the safety of your family. Even if your ceiling was built after 1978, the additional peace of mind thorough asbestos testing gives is well worth the price (usually around $15-20 per sample of textured ceiling tested).
What if the Test Comes Back Positive?
If you find asbestos in your textured ceiling, you should NOT remove the ceiling yourself. Instead, contact an asbestos abatement contractor in your area. You should get multiple quotes as asbestos abatement prices vary, and are generally high.
What Risk is There if I Don’t Test for Asbestos?
If your house was built in this time period, you should always test your textured ceiling prior to sanding it down or using another removal technique that has the potential to disturb the asbestos fibers. Sanding down an asbestos-containing product releases the fibers into the air in their most dangerous form (as tiny airborn cicle-shaped fibers that embed themselves in human tissue, most dangerously in capillaries in the lungs).
Are There Reasons to Avoid Testing?
If you don’t plan to disturb the ceiling at all (e.g., the ceiling has already been painted and you are only putting on an additional coat of paint) it may be advisable not to bother with an asbestos test. Once you determine that the test is positive for asbestos, you will be required to disclose this to future buyers in many states.
Picture courtesy of BarelyFitz [modified].
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5 Responses to Asbestos in Textured Ceilings
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September 4th, 2008 10:35 am
We tested our ceiling when we did the siding. Luckily, it came back negative!
November 15th, 2008 10:47 pm
We had our 1971 textured ceiling tested & it came back positive! None of the contractors that came out to give us quotes on tearing down the ceiling (we had water damage) said anything about the possibility of asbestos in the ceiling – and we had 4 different companies give us quotes. It was only after much reading on the web that I decided to get it tested!! I’m relieved that I did. Why aren’t more people concerned about this especially in the construction industry???
November 16th, 2008 1:15 am
Andrea,
Its certainly a good question… I think there is a general ignorance about the subject coupled with a desire not to raise an issue that could cost $ to fix. If asbestos is discovered in the ceiling, additional precautions must be taken and sometimes a special asbestos abatement license is required for contractors to do the work.
If you’ve got the ceiling, best thing to do is not to disturb it. Glad you got the test done, and best of luck with your future home improvements.
April 3rd, 2009 1:55 pm
is there any chance a home built in 1994 could have asbestos in the popcorn ceiling?
April 3rd, 2009 8:53 pm
Debbie,
We’re not professionals, so this isn’t a professional opinion. But I cannot imagine how a house built in 1994 would have asbestos in the popcorn…. the materials would have been 16 years old at that point, and most compounds would even last that long in an un-applied state.