Did ceiling tile removal contaminate home?
Q. I hired a contractor to remodel my basement. While he was working, I was taking an afternoon nap. When I woke up, I found that he had removed all of the ceiling tiles and had stuffed them into plastic bags. Now I'm afraid that he may have exposed me and my dogs to dangerous amounts of asbestos. Do you think he should have done this, and do you think he created a health hazard in my home?
A. Whether the ceiling tiles contain asbestos is uncertain. Some acoustic ceiling tiles were manufactured with asbestos fibers, but most were not. Therefore, the chances are good that you are not dealing with asbestos-containing material.
If the tiles do contain asbestos, a significant amount of asbestos fibers would only have been released into the air if the tiles were damaged in the process of removal. If they were removed without having been broken, it is unlikely that the air was significantly contaminated.
Whether the air in your home has been contaminated with asbestos can be determined by hiring an AHERA-certified asbestos inspector to take air samples from your home and a physical sample of the tiles and to submit them to an EPA-approved laboratory for analysis. Given your concerns, that would be my recommendation.
As for the contractor's work practices: He should not have removed these tiles without having them professionally tested to determine if they were, in fact, asbestos-containing material. The fact that acoustic ceiling tiles may contain asbestos is common knowledge among qualified building contractors. Removing these tiles without prior testing would be professional negligence.
Be sure to ask him if testing was done prior to removal. If it turns out that the tiles contain asbestos, the contactor could be liable for consequential damages and related costs.
Q. Our house was built in 1971 and has popcorn ceilings. We recently had the material tested and learned that it consists of "4 percent chrysotile asbestos." This seems like a relatively low quantity, but we have no information to help interpret the number. The test lab has not responded with data we can understand, and online sources are not clear about whether we should have the popcorn removed. What can you tell us that will give us some perspective about these asbestos ceilings?
A. According to standards set forth by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, any material that contains more than 1 percent by volume of asbestos fibers is regarded as "asbestos-containing material." However, the mere presence of asbestos material in the home is not regarded as a significant health hazard by the EPA. This is because asbestos fibers are only released into the air when the material is physically disturbed. If the material is left alone and is not in damaged condition, it is not considered to pose a health hazard.
Most people who choose to remove popcorn ceiling texture do so for modernization, because popcorn ceilings are generally regarded as old fashioned in appearance. Other reasons for removal are to facilitate interior remodeling or building demolition. Except in rare cases, removal to prevent asbestos exposure to occupants is not necessary.
• To write to Barry Stone, visit him on the web at www.housedetective.com, or write AMG, 1776 Jami Lee Court, Suite 218, San Luis Obispo, CA 94301.
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