FAQs

Asbestos refers to a group of naturally occurring, incombustible minerals with unique crystalline structures. They are separable into fibers and include varieties like chrysotile (serpentine), crocidolite (riebeckite), amosite (cummingtonite-grunerite), anthophyllite, tremolite, and actinolite. Inhalation has been linked to diseases such as asbestosis lung cancer and mesothiliooma.

Asbestos can be found in many building materials, including window glazing, stucco, cement pipes and boards. It’s important to know the difference between asbestos containing material (ACM) without a warning label and ACM with one. This is a short list of some common items that may contain asbestos:

• Drywall
• Duct tape / paper
• Furnace insulation
• Cement board
• Duct tape / paper
• Furnace insulation
• Vinyl flooring and mastic
• Poured flooring
• Pipe insulation and fittings
• Plaster wall joints
• Textured coatings and paints
• Ceiling tiles, panels, and mastics

There are many different types of building materials that contained asbestos, and an accredited AHERA inspector should be consulted for final recommendations.

Identifying what materials in your building contain asbestos is a difficult task. To do this, you should hire an accredited AHERA inspector to perform a site survey and ensure that all regulations are met for protecting yourself from liability as well as the health of workers on-site.

*AQE is committed to following the most up-to-date procedures when sampling for asbestos. All samples are taken under a wet removal method, which limits likelihood of releasing fibers from materials containing asbestos into the air and prevents them from entering our environment in other ways as well. We follow all regulations when sampling for asbestos, including ASHARA requirements as well as AHERA procedures.

As you prepare to test for asbestos, remember that the scope of your project determines what materials need testing. If it’s a simple removal like scraping popcorn ceilings in one room or if it is limited demolitions, only 1 sample should be taken per area tested. However, if there are full-scale renovations with multiple rooms affected by demolition and reconstruction then various samples are required 8. AHERA inspectors can help determine how many samples are needed when preparing to test for asbestos.

PACMs
After consulting an inspector, he/she will walk through the site to list all potentially asbestos-containing materials (PACMs). These items are then separated into homogeneous testing groups and documented carefully in a report that protects everyone involved from health consequences and legal liabilities.

Identifying PACM categories
The EPA separates potentially asbestos-containing materials into three categories. The categorization of the building material is essential to limiting costs and scopes of testing, so identifying what category it falls under is important for a professional report.

When applying for a permit to renovate, repair, or demolish buildings in _ State you will need an AHERA survey. Our inspectors create thorough reports that can be easily read by the regulators saving time and money. Inspectors from the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA), state inspectors, county officials or city building inspectors may require these surveys.

Requirement of consultation

In order to be an asbestos consultant, you need certification as a Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) building inspector. This allows for the documentation, sampling and description of all potentially hazardous materials within a specific building before testing is carried out in accordance with EPA standards.

Our samples are quickly taken to NVLAP accredited labs that will test and report according to established EPA guidelines. Each sample is analyzed by layers, and a detailed report of what materials in your building contain asbestos is provided along with the percentage of asbestiform material present.

Sorry, but you need a certified AHERA inspector to take samples and create the site survey. Unless the building is owner-occupied and the owner will be performing all of the work, a certified AHERA inspector is necessary to gather samples for testing and create an inspection document.

As part of your inspection, you will receive a survey which includes: 1) Potential asbestos-containing materials (PACMs), such as insulation and adhesives 2) A floor plan showing all sample locations 3) Photos of the testing sites 4) Results from lab tests

Homeowners can expect to be given an extensive list detailing potential hazardous products within their homes. This would include information about any insulating or adhesive material in every room that may contain harmful substances like asbestos – these often originate during remodeling projects carried out by previous inhabitants but have not been properly removed since then. The inspector might also provide photos taken at each site where they tested for presence with specialized equipment along with results obtained through laboratory analysis conducted.