Thursday, September 6, 2007

Check for Asbestos before Removing your Popcorn Ceilings

By Mark J. Donovan

If you are considering removing your popcorn ceilings then you should first check the popcorn ceiling material for asbestos.

Though not all popcorn ceilings were installed containing asbestos, some were. So prior to scraping off your popcorn ceilings you should send a sample off to a lab that can determine if your popcorn ceilings contain asbestos. You can find labs/businesses that will check for asbestos in your local phone book or on the internet.

To find out if your popcorn ceilings have asbestos in them, spray a few small ceiling areas with a water/detergent mixture and scrape off a small section (2” x 2” area) in each area. Put each sample in a small air tight bottle or Ziploc bag and send it to your local lab for testing.

If the samples come back positive hire a licensed asbestos abatement contractor to remove it. If they are negative you can continue on with your plans to remove the popcorn ceiling yourself.

The cost for testing your popcorn ceiling samples is relatively inexpensive and well worth the investment if you value you and your family’s health.

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