Many have heard of the great insulating prowess of asbestos. In fact, homes built up to the 1960s had asbestos mixed with the other integral construction material to improve the overall cement strength and also to incorporate soundproofing and fireproofing for the homes. But, since 1978, construction industries have stopped using this material as many health hazards cropped up related to accidental inhalation of asbestos. If you have moved into a house that was built during the Second World War, you need to opt for proper asbestos testing of your home so that the safety of your family and you is not at risk. There are multiple ways in which the professional testers can help you, but you can also go asbestos testing all by yourself if you want to follow the DIY method.

What is it an asbestos testing kit?

Asbestos Testing

When we hear the word ‘kit’ we conjure an image of a portable lab in a suitcase with chemicals and tiny instruments. In the case of asbestos testing, this is not true. These laboratories are equipped with proper testing machinery like polarized light microscope and techniques like dispersion staining. So, what are present in the much-advertised asbestos testing kit? The kit also provides you a certificate for safe collection. While DIY is not suggested when dealing with asbestos, if you are careful you can opt for the kit and avoid hiring costly teams to come and collect samples. There are different types of asbestos testing for the basement to attic, that you need to know, and sheet vinyl flooring and popcorn ceilings are some of the portions that can be made stronger by using the tested varieties of the asbestos.

Places you will find asbestos

Before you start looking for protective gears, do some research and paperwork to ensure if asbestos was used in the construction of the house. You can also contact the building designer. When you are opting for asbestos testing, you need to know where you can collect samples from. While the presence of this material can be throughout the house, there are key areas that will definitely contain traces if the construction work involving asbestos. These areas are:

• Floor tiles
• Ceilings
• Heating pipes or wraps
• Wallboards

One a key way to understand the areas where you should look is to know that asbestos was primarily used as insulation hence ceiling cavities and floor tiles will definitely have asbestos fibres.

Precautions to take when using the asbestos testing kit

The process of asbestos testing is done in two steps. The first one involves the collection of samples and the second one is the actual testing process which can take about a couple of days. Many asbestos testing kits also include lab fees along with the retail price. That said, coming to the part of the collection of the samples, you need to be properly protected when collecting samples. Wear a mask and protective eye gear, wear gloves, if possible, wear disposable shoes and avoid areas you are living. Solid and friable materials that asbestos is, you need to be extremely careful about the using and the storing of the asbestos.

Next, collect dust samples and solid or crumbly samples separately. When collecting solid samples, make sure to cut them into smaller pieces and store them in the sealing plastic bags that come with the kit. Properly label the samples with names of areas that those samples were collected from. One thing that you need to note is the costing for testing dust samples is higher than solids so try and collect as much solid/crumbly samples as possible.

Asbestos Testing

Conclusion

Asbestos, once a great insulation, also causes many fatal illnesses like chronic respiratory diseases. To avoid falling prey to this, opt for proper asbestos testing of your old homes.