Thread: How to identify possible asbestos?

I found this paneling in a 1950's home today is there an easy way to identify if this could possibly be asbestos?

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Looks like the same material used in ceiling tiles, of which from that era are known to contain asbestos. Testing to confirm prescence of asbestos required.

Originally Posted by cory nystul

I found this paneling in a 1950's home today is there an easy way to identify if this could possibly be asbestos?

Cory,

I was under the impression that that material was just wood pulp and did not contain asbestos. However, Raymond is correct and identifying materials is beyond the scope of a home inspection. The only way to make a positive determination is to have it tested. I put a general comment in my report to advise potential buyers that buildings of this age often used materials that contain asbestos and lead.

Originally Posted by Gunnar Alquist

Cory,

I was under the impression that that material was just wood pulp and did not contain asbestos. However, Raymond is correct and identifying materials is beyond the scope of a home inspection. The only way to make a positive determination is to have it tested. I put a general comment in my report to advise potential buyers that buildings of this age often used materials that contain asbestos and lead.

Wood pulp used in Australia too asbestos just paint it don't disturb it youll be ok chrysotile or white is harmless ammonite is or blue asbestos is not as a kid I lived near the Wunderlich factory in Melbourne we had snow fights with the tailings im 92 yrs old now I don't eat processed food don't drink smoke or smoke cannabis my wife breast fed our kids my mother did the same you get immunity this way the breast cancer medical industry don't want you to know this blue still used in brake blocks on 78000 ton mineral trains in WA time and time again greenies idiots point to the white powder analysis shows ash it gets burnt off

As a professional HI, you don't point at a building material and say "That's asbestos", you say "that material may contain asbestos".

That fiberboard is 95% wood pulp. It may contain some binder materials, glue if you will. I doubt strongly that anyone purposely added asbestos fiber to it but sometimes it was used as a binder. Like we all say, get it tested in a lab.

Raymond, I was of the impression that the brown ceiling tiles are predominantly wood fiber, while the tiles that contain asbestos fibers are more of a white color in cross section. If this is folk-lore, tell me quick before somebody else gets killed.

Back in the day..........asbestos was popular and used, even if casually, in over 40 common building products. Sometimes the amount of contained asbestos is deemed too low for concern. My guess is that plants using asbestos weren't concerned with cleaning up things when they shifted from a product with asbestos to another that didn't use it.

You can't rule out asbestos in any composite material made prior to 1980 or so until tested.