Free homeowner guide
Found Asbestos? What to Do Next
If you think you've found asbestos, stop work, don't disturb the material, keep people and pets away, and have a sample tested by an accredited laboratory. Only a lab result can confirm asbestos — you can't tell by looking.
- What not to touch — and why
- Keeping family and pets safe
- Which materials to suspect
- How testing works and what it costs
- How to read your lab report
The guide, step by step
1. Stop and leave it alone
- Stop any cutting, drilling, scraping or demolition near the material.
- Undamaged material that is left alone releases very few fibres.
- Close the room door and turn off fans or HVAC that blow air through the area.
2. What not to do
- Don't sand, scrape, break or drill the material.
- Don't sweep, dust or use a normal household vacuum on debris.
- Don't pull up old floor tile or scrape popcorn ceiling to "check".
- Don't carry debris through the house or throw it in household trash.
3. Keep people and pets away
- Keep children, pets and visitors out of the area until you have a result.
- If debris is already loose, wipe hands and shoes with a damp cloth before leaving the area.
- Ask contractors to pause until the material is identified.
4. Materials most likely to contain asbestos
- Popcorn or textured ceilings (especially 1950–1980).
- 9-inch floor tile, sheet flooring and black adhesive underneath.
- Plaster, drywall joint compound and wall texture.
- Duct wrap, pipe insulation and furnace tape.
- Stucco, roofing felt, cement siding and window putty.
5. How testing works
- A certified sampler takes a small, contained sample of each suspect material.
- Samples travel to an accredited laboratory under chain of custody.
- You receive a written report listing each material, where it was taken and the result.
- Asbestos testing starts at $475 with the first sample included; each additional sample adds $55.
6. Reading your lab report
- "None detected" means no asbestos was found in that sample.
- A result above 1% means the material is treated as asbestos-containing.
- Each sampled material has its own line — a negative ceiling doesn't clear the flooring.
7. Questions to ask any contractor
- Can I see the lab report before work starts?
- Are you licensed for asbestos work in California if the result is positive?
- Who tested the material — and do they also sell the removal?
ClearGuard Environmental only tests. We never bid, sell or perform asbestos removal, so our result is independent.
Book testing where you are
Asbestos testing from $475, $50 off today with code CLEAR50. Each additional sample adds $55.
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- Can I tell if something is asbestos by looking at it?
- No. Asbestos can only be confirmed by laboratory analysis of a sample.
- Is it dangerous to live in a house with asbestos?
- Intact, undisturbed material is generally low risk. The risk comes from disturbing it — sanding, cutting or scraping — which releases fibres.
- How fast can I get a result?
- Most results come back within 24 hours of the lab receiving the sample, and optional 4–8 hour handling is available for an extra $99.