Asbestos-containing ceiling FAQs, set#3

More questions & answers on which ceiling tiles or other materials that contain asbestos.

This article series provides photographs and descriptive text of asbestos insulation and other asbestos-containing products to permit identification of definite, probable, or possible asbestos materials in buildings.

Asbestos-containing Ceiling Tile FAQs-Set#3

These questions & answers about ceiling tiles that do, do not, or might contain asbestos were posted originally at ASBESTOS CEILING TILES - be sure to read that article.

On 2018-12-08 by (mod) - water stains and dark areas may be mold

I see what looks like water stains and dark blotches that could be mold - more-likely if the wet material is paper-covered drywall.

On 2018-07-05 by snavon4

Does this look like asBestos? Or is it just mold?

IMAGE LOST by older version of Comments code - now fixed. Please re-post the image if you can. Sorry. Mod.

Question: remodeling fiberboard panels in a 1959 Pontiac Chief mobile home

I have an 1959 Pontiac Chief mobile home and the 4' fiberboard panels that run the width of the trailer need to be replaced. Is it possible that they would have asbestos? - Bill 11/14/12

Reply:

Bill,

If you are describing a cement board in a 1959 mobile home, yes there's a good chance that the board contains asbestos. It's not a friable material, so if you can replace the material without creating a dusty mess that's good. That means pulling nails or removing fasteners and removing the pieces whole;

DO NOT run power tools like saws or grinders on asbestos-cement suspect materials.

More advice on minimizing the asbestos hazard for a case like the one you describe is in our article

ASBESTOS REMOVAL, WETTING GUIDELINES

If the fiberboard panels you are describing are a wood fiber product

(see SHEATHING, FIBERBOARD) that's not an asbestos material.

Question: asbestos in old square ceiling tiles - do we peek, remove, or cover-up the ceiling during restoration

My home has ceiling tiles similar to the those described as older square ceiling tiles with a smooth ceiling tile finish. The house was built in 1898, and only the two living rooms contain the tile ceiling.

Do we dare peek underneath the tile and disrupt any possible asbestos while we under go the restoration or cover up the tile that may result in bigger problems down the road?? - Reno 11/23/12

(Mar 5, 2014) Anonymous said:

If a tile ceiling from the 70's is still intact, with absolutely no crumbling or falling apart, and has recently had a coat of paint put over it, is there any cause for concern that it may possibly be asbestos!?

Reply:

Home Reno, and Anonymous:

Asbestos containing materials are not radioactive - that is, covered-up or encapsulated the material is not harmful.

In general, if conditions permit encapsulation or covering-over of asbestos containing materials (ACM), that is the approach that puts the property at least risk of asbestos contamination, since you're disturbing the marerial as little as possible, and certainly less than if you had it removed.

The asbestos-cover-over caveat that occurs to me is not so much with ceilings as with piping. If we encapsulate ACM covered heating pipes we might figure that some day over the life of the system someone is going to have to disturb that material to replace or repair a leaky pipe. (Though that's probably still less total asbestos disturbance than would be caused by removal).

The ceiling tiles should be treated as presumed to contain asbestos. That means that should demolition or disturbance become necssary for some external reason appropriate precautions should be taken.

That caveat does *not* mean that the ceiling should be removed. Coated, sealed, undamaged, and in an area where damage is not likely rhe safest course is to leave it alone. In the condition you describe it's doubtful that one could detect airborne asbestos from that source.

Question: we burned some old tiles - does that mean they didn't contain asbestos

Some old tiles got into our burn pile. They burned very easily. Am I wrong to assume asbestos products don't burn easily? - Tony 1/3/2013

Reply:

Well yes, sort-of. Some asbestos containing materials include a mix of other fibers and contents too.

In that case the asbestos itself would not burn but the other products could - leaving ash that contains asbestos. We did a literature search for asbestos content in ceiling tile ash but couldn't come up with a thing, suggesting perhaps no one has looked at this question with care.

If you have any doubt and if you have ash remaining from your burn pile that you can pretty much bet is from ceiling tiles, I'd sure like to see the results of an asbestos test lab examination.

Question:

(June 19, 2014) Nate said:

My bathroom has older, (not sure exactly how old)decorative ceiling tiles in it. The outside of the tiles kind of feel like a styrofoam type material. However the inside of the tile is a brown, fiberboard type material. No straight fibers. The little that came loose crumbled quite easily when I picked it up. Does it sound like it could be asbestos?

(June 19, 2014) Anonymous said:

I also uncovered some loose plaster-type stuff on my upstairs ceiling. It has what looks like hair sticking out of it. It's older, so hardtop say what color it originally was. Did the older plaster contain asbestos? It is attached to my upstairs ceiling, and it's also in between the ceiling boards.

(June 23, 2014) Anonymous said:

Would a picture help? How do you post pictures on here? I am going to get it tested, but getting someone out to get a sample isn't that easy around here.

Reply:

Anon, one cannot be sure of the presence or absence of asbestos from just your note but your first comment sounds like a wood fiber product.

Old plaster indeed was made using horsehair as an ingredient. How Los is your building?

Some plaster and plasterboard products did contain asbestos.

 

Anon you can use the CONTACT link to send us photos for screening and posting and comment. - Editor.

(June 23, 2014) Anonymous said:

If it helps, the house was built in 1940. I am presuming the tiles are the ones put up when the house was built.

The bathroom tiles were previously tested I just found out and contain no asbestos. However there are tiles upstairs which are crumbling.

They are white on the outside, with a wood-type material underneath. No fine fiber bundles or needle like fibers. I will post a pic of those ASAP, and will also have them tested. This is SO frustrating trying to figure out what contained asbestos and what did not.

Anon,

Asbestos fibers are so small that you would not see them individually without a microscope and most likely a high powered one using polarized light or other special means.

Most often wood fiber materials are just that.

Figuring out what contained asbestos can indeed be tricky since we've documented that the material was very widely used across a stunning range of products (Asbestos has some wonderful properties) and more, it was used in both fibrous form and in powder form as a filler.

Thanks to a combination of research, Rosato's original text, and periodic perusal of other asbestos information sources, our list of asbestos-containing-products found at

inspectapedia.com/hazmat/Asbestos_Products.php

along with some supplementary citations from Rosato that we include
forms perhaps the most-comprehensive list of asbestos-containing materials one might find.

When you are not faced with a decision about undertaking a costly renovation or cleanup project that turns on confirming asbestos material for sure (which needs lab testing),

I'm unclear on the cost-justification of sample testing and generally advise that it would simply be prudent to treat the suspect material, such as flooring or ceiling tiles, ask "presumed asbestos-containing materials"

or "PACM" = which means don't grind, sand, or disturb them if it can be avoided, cover and leave in place if possible, and don't panic (which subjects the panic-stricken to price gouging).

Question:

(June 30, 2014) Anonymous said:

Are wood fiber tiles usually brown inside? Ceiling tiles I have and worry about are brownish-orange inside with a white surface coating. There is no information on brand or when they may have been manufactured. A sample is being sent for testing, but until the result comes back I figured I'd ask around.

Reply:

Anon,

Typically wood fiber ceiling tiles are brown, tan, yellow inside; keep us posted on what your test results indicate and we may be able to offer further advice.

Question: how can I tell if my ceiling tiles are made of asbestos

(Aug 11, 2014) Anonymous said:

how can I tell if my ceiling tiles are made of asbestos

Reply:

For an easy answer see the questions posed at DO THESE CEILING TILES CONTAIN ASBESTOS?

For a definitive answer you'd need to collect a small sample of the ceiling tile and have it tested by a certified asbestos testing lab.

Question:

(Sept 7, 2014) Anonymous said:

The previous owner of our home finished the basement in the late 60s or early 70s. He used 12" x 12" x 5/8" white ceiling tiles from Sears. They came 52 in a box. The product number was 648505. Do you know if they contain asbestos?

Linda C.

(Sept 22, 2014) Jean said:

Question: Is it okay to paint over asbestos ceiling tile?

Reply:

Jean

Yes painting over an asbestos-suspect ceiling tile should be OK if the ceiling material is intact, undamaged, soundly secured, undamaged, not dropping pieces into the occupied space.

Question: which part of the ceiling tile should be tested for asbestos?

30 Oct 14 Ceiling Tile layers said:

Daniel: I recently took a sample of my ceiling tile to have it test for asbestos. When I pulled the sample, I didn't realize the tile basically has three layers, the Outer Layer (Visible to us and test to be paint/binder ), the inner layer (The brown fibrous material which tested to be cellulose filler), and the back side which appears to be white (which I didn't get a sample to test).

My question is if a ceiling tile contains asbestos, would it have been found in the 2 layers that I had test or does it only reside on that last layer (the back side of the tile)? Do you think I'm in the clear or should that last layer be tested too?

Thanks
Brad

Reply:

Smart question, Brad. Bottom line: I don't know but my OPINION is that the most important material to test would have been the main body or center of the ceiling tile as that's the component most likely to contain asbestos.

Asbestos was added in both fiber form (strength) and fine powder form (body filler) in products such as floor tiles and some ceiling tiles.

If you are talking about your own ceiling and are not faced with having made a dusty mess of demolition and if it were me, my OPINION is that you can stop here.

If there are extra reasons to be concerned, such as planned demo, visible damage and dust, then I'd collect both a settled dust sample and surface samples for three more tests.

Question: asbestos not found in brown iner layer of ceiling tiles but what about the outer layers?

(Oct 30, 2014) Ceiling Tile layers said:

I recently took a sample of my ceiling tile to have it test for asbestos. When I pulled the sample, I didn't realize the tile basically has three layers, the Outer Layer (Visible to us and test to be paint/binder ), the inner layer (The brown fibrous material which tested to be cellulose filler), and the back side which appears to be white (which I didn't get a sample to test).

My question is if a ceiling tile contains asbestos, would it have been found in the 2 layers that I had test or does it only reside on that last layer (the back side of the tile)?

Do you think I'm in the clear or should that last layer be tested too?

Thanks
Brad

Reply: Asbestos was added in both fiber form (strength) and fine powder form (body filler) in products such as floor tiles and some ceiling tiles.

Smart question, Brad. Bottom line: I don't know but my OPINION is that the most important material to test would have been the main body or center of the ceiling tile as that's the component most likely to contain asbestos.

Asbestos was added in both fiber form (strength) and fine powder form (body filler) in products such as floor tiles and some ceiling tiles.

If you are talking about your own ceiling and are not faced with having made a dusty mess of demolition and if it were me,

my OPINION is that you can stop here. If there are extra reasons to be concerned, such as planned demo, visible damage and dust, then I'd collect both a settled dust sample and surface samples for three more tests.

Question:

(Dec 3, 2014) Sally said:
I am selling a home that has Armstrong 410 12" beveled ceiling tiles in it. The question is, do they contain asbestos? How can I tell?

Reply:

You' d need to know the date of the material or have it tested.

Question: Chrysotile asbestos confirmed in ceiling tiles: now what?

(Dec 8, 2014) Sharon said:

Asbestos in basement ceiling tiles? How would you interpret this, is it dangerous?

Asbestos - Chrysotile 75 - 100%

Asbestos <1%>

Re my previous questions - Asbestos in ceiling tiles - The question is, should we have these tiles professionally removed by asbestos specialist or can we remove them ourselves?

Asbestos - Chrysotile 75 - 100%

Asbestos <1%>

Reply:

Yes Sharon, if the materials are damaged, disturbed, cut, ground,chopped, demolished so as to make a dusty mess.

If covered over and sealed the material has been treated following the advice of the US EPA and other experts and in that view you'd have minimzied the hazard.

Sharon if you are going to remove the ceiling it would be proper and safe to have it handled by a professional.

The risk is that you cut, saw, demolish, damage tiles creating asbestos-containing dust that you track through the home, leading to a still greater cleanup cost as well as possible health hazards. A pro will use dust containment, negative air, proper bagging, etc.

Question: looking to match an antique metal ceiling

(Jan 15, 2015) Eliott said:
Hello,

I am redoing my interior and really trying to get th same ceiling tiles as the existing one. It s exactly the same as displayed on your webstie (inspectapedia.com/interiors/Metal_Ceiling_039_DJFs.jpg). I was wondering if you had the exact reference, because i am having hard time finding the same one.

thanks in advance

best

eliott

yoyotte789[a]gmail.com

Reply:

Sorry Eliott:

I photographed that ceiling in an original installation in a restaurant in Brooklyn, New York. I know it's close to impossible to match exactly old embossed metal ceilings. You might try sending a photo (or my photo) to some suppliers to see what they have that's close.

Often in older buildings where a portion of a metal ceiling has been lost from leaks or other damage the builder installs a completely different pattern and paints them to be less horribly noticeable; an alternative, still uglier, is to cover the whole ceiling with a similar pattern.

Question: advice for home inspectors about asbestos in ceiling tiles

31 JN 2015 Home Inspector said:

i wish they made a small kit that i can just take a small pc off and put it in and run a quick test.

Because i think ceiling tiles are the hardest to recognize if they have asbestos or not. As a home inspector i see alot of homes with asbestos flooring and insulation surrounding the pipes along with loose fill insulation in attics. But ceiling tiles are the trickiest.

Reply:

HI

Unfortunately the proper identification of asbestos requires polarized light microscopy. It's not a chemical test.

Luckily there are some asbestos containing materials that can be reasonably identified by appearance alone (such as pipe insulation) or by the combination of appeareance and age such as some flooring.

Given the popularity of litigation you might want to be careful about disturbing asbestos-suspect material unless you're following a sampling protocol.

I add that I agree that ceiling tiles are difficult to identify by eye alone as containing asbestos or not, though sometimes there's an age indicator or manufacturer ID stamp that can help us out.

Since usually the best advice anyway is to leave suspect materials alone, undisturbed, in place, or to cover them over or encapsulate them if there is a risk of damage, your advice can be reasonable and safe in cautionary form. IMO you should not be advising people to necessarily remove asbestos or asbestos-suspect materials but should be warning them about disturbing it and of course should be warning if suspect material is friable, damaged, in poor condition, being tracked around a building.

Question: possible hazards from collapse of drop ceiling tiles

(Feb 1, 2015) harry said:
Back in 2004, while living in Philadelphia, the drop ceiling caved in in the apartment I was renting. I was in the shower at the time, heard a loud CRASH, stepped out of the shower to see the drop ceiling all over the floor and the air filled with dust. I definitely stepped out into this stuff in a state of confusion and quickly threw on some clothes and ran to the real estate office to report what happened.

It never occurred to until just now that maybe this stuff contained asbestos?? It was the type of drop ceiling that was suspended below the actual ceiling on a metal grid. The whole metal grid caved in brining the drop ceiling down. Pieces everywhere. I believe that a metal lighting fixture that housed florescent bulbs pulled the metal grid down and the tiles with it.

Once I reported what happened, the real estate agency sent someone to clean the place up (removing all of the grid, broken tiles, cleaning all debris) and they paid for all of my clothing that got dust on it to be cleaned. I stayed in the place for a few more months before moving out.

I have no way of testing the tiles, obviously, as the real estate agency sent someone to clean up the place ten years ago. love. I'm actually kind of a little worried here. Should I call the real estate agency? Not sure what the heck good that would do.

I'm suddenly really concerned. This was ten years ago. What should I do? Should I not worry? Probably wasn't asbestos? Arghh.

Reply:

Harry,

You're asking about an unknown material that fell in more than a decade ago. We can't make an accurate guess at what risks you may have faced. Generally the risk would be a function of

- what hazardous materials were present

- exposure level

- exposure duration

- personal health and susceptability

Question: asbestos in plaster from 1903?

(Feb 10, 2015) Sharon said:
Our church was built in 1903, would the ceiling plaster contain abestos?

Reply:

Sharon,

One cannot assert whether a ceiling contains asbestos or not from a simple e-text query. I don't mean to sound glib. We don't know: what material is on the church ceiling, when it was installed or modified, nor what it contains.

Older forms of plaster are typically composed of lime, mortar, horsehair and other additives. But we can't even guess what your ceiling may contain.

IF there is a reason to be concerned, such as a need for disturbance, demolition, repair or other dusty procedures, and if no one knows what material is installed, it would be prudent, and inexpensive (about $50. U.S.) to have a certified asbestos lab test a representative sample of the ceiling material.

See ASBESTOS TESTING LAB LIST for access to certified asbestos testing labs in the U.S. or if you're in another country just ask me for further help.

Question: are 10 year old acoustic ceiling tiles toxic?

(Feb 19, 2015) Sandy Lampinen feb 19, 2015 said:
We are removing armstrong acoustical fireretardant ceiling panels.The box of extras says contractor series, commercial equivalent (770), bp935 a 08, random textured, 24" x 24". These were installed approx 10 years ago. Do they present a danger now being removed? Are they a toxic material?

Reply:

No. One would not expect a ten year old ceiling product to contain asbestos.

Question: Should unpainted asbestos ceiling tiles be painted over?

(Mar 6, 2015) Concerned said:
Should unpainted asbestos ceiling tiles be painted over?

Reply:

Painting the ceiling is optional and not required if it's in good condition.

Question: is the light gray powder on my floors asbestos from the ceiling tiles?

(May 19, 2015) Christine said:
I live in an old school building and when I sweep my floor I get a lite grey gritty powder on my floor.Is this stuff possibly asbestos falling from my ceiling tiles?Thank you.

Reply:

I can't say, Christine as we don't know what your ceiling is. It's not costly (about $50. U.S.) to have a certified asbestos test lab examine a dust sample.

But before spending even that you might ask about just what are the components of the building ceiling. It would be quite odd for so much of any ceiling product to be falling onto the floor below that you'd get a regular amount of dust or debris sufficient in quantity that you'd see it whenever you swept the floors.

See

ASBESTOS TESTING LAB LIST and

• ASBESTOS TESTING SAMPLE COLLECTION
• DUST SAMPLING PROCEDURE

(May 19, 2015) Christine said:
Thank you for replying back to my question.I have square,drop ceiling tiles.I did see a picture of the kind I have on this sight somewhere

.They are painted over and in good condition and when I ask the maintenance guy about the dust he said it was paint falling from the tiles.I told him it was not because I also get little paint balls that I can identify

. It is the white/ blueish powder stuff that I find on the floor.The school building is @ 100yrs old and some residents have bad ceiling tiles and have the same thing occurring and some believe there is possible mold in there tiles and through out the building especially in the laundry room.

There is always a problem with overflowing toilets and other things causing water damage.Just this past winter a pipe broke in laundry room and flooded the floor.I understand by what I am asking you it is hard to answer,but I would like to ask you could this mold and maybe asbestos ,if a women were pregnant, living under these conditions,could it cause the baby to be born with kidney disease? I ask this because my granddaughter was born with kidney disease.The doctors cannot find the cause of her kidney disease.

She is three years old now and just received a kidney transplant and we were very concerned as still are the affects of her living in these conditions.

For what I've been told in past five years living here that he owners do as little as possible as far as maintenance goes. I have been diagnose with COPD and have breathing problems and chest pains and fluids in my lungs and sinuses all the time.

I understand if you cannot give me an answer and I know about testing and all,but money is tight and cannot afford. THANK YOU FOR CARING,GOD BLESS.

Reply:

Christine,

I have sympathy for the question about health risks to pregnant women and babies, but that is a question that you need to ask your doctor.

And before getting too scared about what's falling off of the ceiling (or coming from somewhere else) there are two approaches that make sense to me:

1. a professional inspection of the building to identify visual evidence of health or safety hazards, for example: visible mold over more than 30 sq.ft. of contiguous material, a history of sewage backups not properly cleaned, visible, obvious asbestos that is in fragile condition or being damaged or spread in the building, lead paint hazards, slip trip and fall hazards, etc.

2. to investigate specific dust samples that represent common building conditions, I'd send a representative sample or two to a professional.

Question: relating asbestos & lead hazards in buildings

(May 19, 2015) Christine said:
Hello again,does lead @ asbestos abatement have anything to do with lead paint?We are also given a warning when we move in that the building and apartments have lead paint through out.Thanks again.God bless.

Reply:

Asbestos and lead are completely separate hazards except that work on a building might disturb either of them if they are present in or on building materials or surfaces.

Question: smoke alarm sounded and ceiling tiles fell down

(June 3, 2015) Anonymous said:

My mom has a basement that was finished in the late 1960's with a drop ceiling. On Mother's Day the smoke alarm went off in the basement and we all ran down.

Many ceiling tiles were falling out of the ceiling and the ceiling was sagging down by 1 - 1 1/2 feet. We quickly held up the ceiling while my mom got nails so we could nail the ceiling back up to the rafters so it wouldn't all come crashing down.

There was a lot of dust in the air. Unfortunately, my mom, who is 79 and already has compromised lungs, started coughing the next day and continued to deteriorate.

She ended up having to go in the hospital and was there for a week. In the beginning she was coughing up the dust. Now she is back home and we are talking to contractors who specialize in remodeling and removal about getting the tiles down.

We had a plumber come to look for a leak that might have caused this to happen. A leak was not found. The remodeling/removal fellow told me that he didn't think the tiles had asbestos "not in ceiling tiles".

He has a great reputation so I am surprised he would say this but maybe he wants the work. Because there is no "cause" except perhaps old age, my mom is going to have to pay for it all herself. I still feel dust in the air and she cannot go in the basement in this condition. What do you suggest?

Reply:

Anon

In my opinion even if there were no asbestos, exposure to a high level of dust in an older home could be a serious respiratory irritant; other dust components can be irritating, allergenic or pathogenic such as mold or insect fragments or even just find particles of wood-fiber based ceiling tiles if they do not contain asbestos.

TO know what your mom was exposed to you might collect a tape sample of representative dust and have it characterized by a forensic lab. Ask her doctor if she or he agrees that that would be helpful. You might have a ceiling tile fragment tested as well. Typically a lab test for asbestos costs about $50. or a bit less.

You can either perform the clean-up presuming that there is asbestos-containing dust (hire a professional, set up air control, HEPA vaccuuming etc). or wait for that test result.

I would not permit further demolition or renovation work to proceed without proper handling of the dust and debris lest an amateur spread further dust throughout the home thus requiring still further cleanup.

Question: do these ceiling tiles contain asbestos? Is this bowed sagged drop ceiling tile an asbestos hazard?

(June 6, 2015) Anonymous said:
Do 1'x1' ceiling tiles possibly contain asbestos? The type you would staple to furring strips.

(June 6, 2015) Sam said:
My family just moved into a condo built in 1966. The shared laundry room is 2 stories below our unit and has several ceiling tiles in disrepair. Several have modest water stains. You can see an example tile bowing, with a small amount of material hanging off the left side in the photo below.

There are no plans for renovation. As long as the ceiling tiles are left alone are they reasonably safe or is it risky to do our laundry in that room? I'd like to know if a harmful level of asbestos particles are likely to be in the air or to get onto our clothes from the open washing and drying machines. Thank you.

Reply:

Sam:

A review of the US EPA and other expert advice on asbestos generally advises that if the materials are not damaged, shedding, or in an area likely to be damaged and disturbed, the lowest risk is achieved by leaving the material alone.

We cannot tell from just looking if your sagging suspended ceiling tile contains asbestos or not - you'd need to have a lab test performed or to know the brand or the age or dates of manufature of the ceiling material.

See DO THESE CEILING TILES CONTAIN ASBESTOS?

(10 June 2015) Sam said:

Do you know what constitutes damaged or shedding? I'm not sure if you were able to view the photo or not. In your opinion, are the water stains, buckling tiles, or fragments hanging down from the edges of the tiles anything to be worried about or are you saying if I don't mess with it, the EPA thinks it will be fine? Thanks again.

Reply:

Damaged - shedding means that particles of the product are separating from it and entering occupied space.

Friable - generally means that a material is soft enough that you could smash it with your fingers; Asbestos pipe insulation is friable; cement asbestos millboard is not. Ceiling tiles are a bit in between.

Your photo did not tell me if the warp[ed suspended ceiling tile was an asbestos-containing product or not.

14 June 2015 Sam said:
Thanks again

I am trying to figure out if it's worth getting the ceiling tiles tested for asbestos at this time. If the assumption that they are asbestos would make them likely dangerous based on the photo I would like to get them tested.

If the photo would not be alarming even if they did have asbestos I'll leave well enough alone unless we decide to renovate. Any insight you have would be greatly appreciated.

Reply:

If a material is friable and shedding it could be an asbestos hazard risk.

Question: asbestos in 6ft x 5 ft ceiling panels resembling false wood planks look like fiberglass?

(Sept 30, 2015) Ivan Jones said:
I recently purchased a early remodeled barn for apartment living.

The upper floor has about 6x 5 ft panels that initially appear like pattern used in mobile home walls (false wood planks).

There is bulging areas from apparent historic leaking roof and a few seams that are seperated.

Upon closer inspection the flexible panels appear to have been 1/4 inch thick, and composed of deep yellow filamentous material that breaks down to small sharp fibers (like fiberglass) with relative ease.

Is this asbestos?
I can send pics and my contact is ivansheridan72@yahoo.com

Thank you!
Ivan

Reply:

It sounds as if you are describing a fiberglass or wood fiber product.

Yellow filamentous material in flexible panels is likely to be fiberglass. Please see our comments above.

Some wood fiber products, though described as "pure cellulose" may have been cross-contaminated by asbestos; the health hazard of the in-situ existence of such intact ceiling tiles is rather arguable and risks are probably small.

Question: ok to paint asbestos-suspect ceiling tiles?

(Oct 9, 2015) Ray McLain said:

My contractor, who has certifications for asbestos testing and remediation, painted my ceiling tiles in my basement with a good quality Sherwin Williams duration series paint to assure containment of confirmed asbestos contents.

However, when the painting was completed, the small acoustic holes didn't receive any paint into them, leaving them unpainted. Could this be dangerous? My contractor says that its okay and I shouldn't worry about it. All other surfaces of the tiles are sealed by the paint.

(Nov 20, 2015) Ray McLain said:

My contractor, who has certifications for asbestos testing and remediation, painted my ceiling tiles in my basement with a good quality Sherwin Williams duration series paint to assure containment of confirmed asbestos contents. However, when the painting was completed, the small acoustic holes didn't receive any paint into them, leaving them unpainted. Could this be dangerous? My contractor says that its okay and I shouldn't worry about it. All other surfaces of the tiles are sealed by the paint.

Reply:

xRay

Asbestos that is in good condition and that is not in a location where it is likely to become damaged or disturbed is legal and is safe left in place and usually the risk of that approach is less than the risk of demolition.

Question: examine ceiling tiles or photos for asbestos?

(Nov 4, 2015) ann said:
If I were able to send you a pic or two of a ceiling tile would you maybe to tell me something about it? It has no markings on the back identifying manufacturer but after looking at pics online seems to be somewhat unique in the design.

Reply:

Use the page bottom CONTACT link to send us photos; do not send samples or materials without prior email agreement.

Question: how to test ceiling tiles for asbestos

(Nov 9, 2015) L D said:
I just bought an old house that has 1 x 1 ceiling tiles as a suspended ceiling. They look like wood fibe, almost like partical board but are very light weight. How do I tell if they contain asbestos?

Reply:

LD if you don't see an identifying mark and need to make sure about asbestos content you'll want to send a sample to a lab -it's about $50. U.S. or a bit less.

Search InspectApedia for ASBESTOS TESTING LAB LIST to see some helpful contacts.

On 2018-09-27 by (mod) - what do we need to identify asbestos in ceiling tiles?

Sorry, Jess, but no, from the photo I can't say whether the ceiling contains asbestos.

On 2018-09-27 by Jess

Just wondering if you can tell if these ceiling tiles might contain asbestos ? There are 12x12 I believe

On 2018-08-04 by (mod) -

see ASBESTOS TESTING LAB LIST for access to certified asbestos testing labs

https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/Asbestos_Test_Lab_Lists.php

On 2018-08-04 by Cheri Hofstater

Hello, I'm hoping you can point me in the right direction. I would like to get my ceiling tiles tests for asbestos but don't know who or where to call.

On 2018-07-27 by Guy D

Would like to know if 2791289 made in 1975 acoustic tiles containr asbestos in it.
Thanks

On 2018-07-20 by (mod) - test suspicious ceiling tiles for asbestos

it's possible. I take it there are no stamps, numbers, and are manufacturer's markings and that you don't know even the approximate age of the tiles

. I can't see much in the photo but it looks like a white fibrous material that could contain asbestos. It's probably worth the modest cost of an asbestos test to have a sample checked by an asbestos lab. Keep me posted.

On 2018-07-20 1 by Laura Bolton

I was given some tiles for my home but I dont know the age or the origin of them I'd like to use them but now I'm worried about asbestos... do u think they contain asbestos?

On 2018-07-13 by (mod) - not asbestos if the ceiling tile is fiberglass

Sean I can't say for sure from a photo (it's a bit blurry) but that LOOKS like fiberglass. If it's fiberglass, that's not an asbestos material.

If it's a cellulose like or fibrous material that's not fiberglass, the answer is maybe. You'd need to know the material age, brand, product ID or to have a sample tested.

On 2018-07-13 by Sean

Hi, I was wondering if this ceiling tile contains Asbestos. The pattern looks like other asbestos containing tile and measures 12x12

On 2018-07-03 21:50:14.248184 by (mod) -

Sorry, Terri but size does not separate ceiling tiles with from those without asbestos.

On 2018-07-03 by Terri

What is the size of ceiling tiles that might have asbestos?

On 2018-06-22 by Bill

Hello, I'm looking to run some cable in my basement but I have to remove a drop ceiling to do so. I have no idea when this drop ceiling was installed because I just bought the house and the previous owner passed away. Hopefully someone will recognize these markings.

They're 2x4 tiles, I know the grid is made by USG because the stickers are still present. There are numbers and arrows dimpled into the back of the tile which I traced with marker to make more visible.

On 2018-06-20 by (mod) -

If the ceiling tiles were actually made in the same year that you cite there's not much chance that in North America they would contain asbestos. But since you're being extra cautious why don't you send the sample to an asbestos test lab.

On 2018-06-19 by Jon

I am interested in buying a home built in 1993. The basement has drop ceiling tiles, some which are cracked. I’d like to just remove them and remodel. Any concerns with asbestos ? I have three very small children so I’m being extra precautious.

On 2018-06-10 by John L.

Does anyone know if Armstrong Temlok ceiling tiles contain asbestos?

On 2018-06-03 by Mike

I pulled a wooden drop ceiling down today. Behind it was an old tiled ceiling and unfortunately a crumbling tile produces a lot of dust before I realised what was going on. The times are unmarked. The house was built in the 30s in the UK.

They have a white face with a fiberous looking inside. See the photo. Is this likely asbestos? The dust is now turn through my house so I am worried.

On 2018-05-15 by (mod) - asbestos is not at all likely to be found in a ceiling tile sold in 2007.

Auris,

No, asbestos is not at all likely to be found in a ceiling tile sold in 2007.

On 2018-05-14 by Auris

Hi I changed sealing tiles in 2007 wich been both of ebay,now I’m wondering, may that contain asbestos?

On 2018-04-20 by PatMunz

@Jim Alexander, I am sorry for your illness and thank you for letting us know. I hope you stay as healthy as possible.

On 2018-04-04 by (mod) - asbestos in ceiling tiles in Prince George, Canada, British Columbia

You won't need to send the entire tile, just a small fragment, to a test lab.

See

ASBESTOS TESTING LAB LIST You can also use the picture frame icon next to the Comment button to attach photos of your ceiling

On 2018-04-04 by Ella

I need to figure out whether some ceiling tiles contain asbestos. The house was built in 1962 and the ceiling tiles installed during the late 60s or early 70s. There are extra tiles so I could take one to be tested.

The house is located in Prince George, Canada, British Columbia. How can I identify whether the ceiling tiles contain asbestos?

On 2018-03-06 by (mod) -

Daniel

No one can say with certainty that the ceiling tiles in your photo contain asbestos or not just from the photo. It would help to know the age of the ceiling, the country, city, state or province of the building and the building age.

I do see what looks like grayish material under the painted surface.

The ceiling might contain asbestos. Use the page top EXPERTS DIRECTORY link to find an asbestos test lab if you need to test a sample.

On 2018-03-06 by Daniel Mitchell

Are they aabestos tiles.

Thans for anyones reply

On 2018-02-25 by Anonymous

Yep it makes sense. Will post again when I get the results.

Thanks

On 2018-02-25 by (mod) -

I can't say that I blame the asbestos test lab , since different layers of material could indeed be different substances and comprise three separate test procedures.

The lab doesn't want to be blamed if a customer just tests one part of a material and later finds something different in other parts. Like you I think there is an exposed surface layer, a body, and an upper or hidden surface that may simply be a paint coating.

On 2018-02-25 by Phil

This test kit says to pay $40 per layer tested and indicates I'll be making the call on how many layers as I'm sending in my payment with sample. My last pic posted seems to indicate 3 layers. Anyone agree/disagree?

On 2018-02-25 by Aphil

Will for sure post results when I get them. To your point of possibly identifying a cellulose material I'm posting a second shot that shows the layers and damaged part. For what it's worth. Thanks

On 2018-02-25 by (mod) -

Phil,

We can't say for sure based on the photo if that's in asbestos containing ceiling tile or not, although from a little damage at the edge of the tile it appears to be showing a cellulose material. Let us know your lab results is that will certainly help other readers who have ceilings that look like yours.

It also helps when we know the age of the building and if we have a guess at the age of the ceiling.1950s Leavittown Bethpage LI is certainly an era and area in which asbestos was present in some ceiling products.

On 2018-02-25 72 by Phil

@Phil,
Oh and they are 12" tiles.

Gutting my kitchen and remembered the inspector suggested we might have our ceiling tiles checked for asbestos before removing them. Hoping my pic might be recognized as something that definitely doesn't contain it.

There's no labeling on the back of one I carefully removed. House was built in the Levittown area (Bethpage) in NY 1950. If anyone has any info I'd appreciate it. Going to Ace to get a testing kit. Thanks

On 2018-01-14 by (mod) -

Patricia,

You'd need to test a sample, or to treat the ceiling as presumed to contain asbestos.
See
https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/Asbestos_Test_Lab_Lists.php

See also the advice at inspectapedia.com/hazmat/Asbestos-Ceiling-Tile-Removal-Procedure.php

On 2018-01-12 by Patricia

My house was built in the 50's. My kitchen roof leaked and has damaged the ceiling. Before removing the ceiling tiles I would like to know if they are asbestos.

On 2018-01-08 by (mod) - non-friable ceiling tile handling

Roger

Actually, though ceiling tiles are rather soft compared with asphalt-asbestos or vinyl asbestos flooring or cement asbestos products, the sources I've reviewed including those cited in this article series all consider ceiling tiles as "non friable" - that is, you cannot smush a ceiling tile into powder between a thumb and forefinger.

Nevertheless, drilling, cutting, sawing these materials can certainly release dust in particles small enough to become airborne, so in an approach similar to asbestos containing floor tiles, some caution is in order.

Take a look at ASBESTOS CEILING TILE REMOVAL PROCEDURES

there you'll see some specific suggerstions. Basically you can lift out a tile carefully, HEPA vacuuming to catch dust and vacuuming the suspension grid track.

But experts warn that IF there is accumulated dust and debris on top of the ceiling tile then there is an additional level of hazard that requires more steps and more protection.

On 2018-01-08 by Roger Are ceiling tiles considered friable or non-friable ?

Are ceiling tiles considered friable or non-friable ? If I need to access above a drop ceiling with a grid, if I gently move the tile to the side without breaking or drilling it, will it more than likely be safe ? Or does moving a tile (lifting it up out of the grid and handling it carefully ) release fibers ?

On 2017-12-13 by (mod) - guessing at the asbestos content of old ceiling tiles?

I'm sorry but I can't assess the risk for the situation that you described by text. You need an on-site expert. However it is the case that if asbestos debris is being cleaned up with an ordinary Shop-Vac that's likely to significantly increase the Airborne asbestos dust level and suggests that the people doing the cleanup may not know the proper procedure to use.

On 2017-12-13 by Jessica

My son’s preschool resides in a very old church building that is updating electrical and changing out all the fixtures (400+). Most of the building has drop ceiling tiles and it’s my understanding they contain asbestos. The crew installing he lights isn’t sealing anything off or anything. Looks like they just have a shop vac

. Is it possible for them to safely switch out fixtures (converting from fluorescent to LED) without disturbing the ceiling tiles in a manner that would cause fiber release? They are moving them I believe, but perhaps carefully ? No idea I’d drilling or what. I’ve read so long as they’re not broken or drilled it’s fine ?

On 2017-10-06 by Tiffany

Wondering if anyone can lead me in the direction of a website or fb group, that based on some dimensions, photos,age...etc. of a drop tile celing, can tell me if asbestos is likely?

On 2017-07-21 by (mod) -

Todd,

It would be smart to

- wear a HEPA-rated respirator during any dusty house renovation job

- do dust control, negative air, thorough cleanup by damp wipe and HEPA vac afterwards

- treat the older ceiling tiles as presumed to contain asbestos

or if you face big costs to do so, have a sample tested - search InspectApedia for ASBESTOS TEST LAB - the cost is usually < $50. u.s. >

See ASBESTOS CEILING TILE REMOVAL PROCEDURES

On 2017-07-21 by Todd n.

I am going a job whére the new owñer of a large 5 bdr house is trying to remodel am split level 60's fashion summer home.
I am removing ceiling tile that is sheetrock! But that problem is after exposing the first tile I realized there was another layer under the sheet rock, tiles are square with dots punctured throughout.

On 2017-05-03 by (mod) -

Hi Sally, I see you found our email address at the page top or bottom CONTACT link.

Those look like cellulose-based (yellow wood fiber) ceiling tiles but no one can be certain of asbestos content from a photo. If you must face a dusty demolition it's worth the <$50. u.s. to have a sample tested. best is to leave the material alone, simply covering it over, perhaps on a ceiling with drywall.

On 2017-05-03 by Sally

How can I send pics? I'm looking at buying a house with ceiling tiles. I don't mind then at all but some are damaged which worries me.

On 2017-03-27 by Margie

I have a commercial warehouse built in 1948 It has these sheets that are Four ft by eight feet on ceiling under the wood flat roof inside.

On 2017-03-06 by (mod) -

Jim:

Thank you for that information, though it's of course sad and bad news for which you have my sympathy. Cutting ceiling tiles on a table saw indeed is likely to create a lot of airborne dust, still more hazardous if you didn't wear a HEPA -rated mask.

Even though the relationship between anecdotal reports of exposure and the development of mesothelioma decades later is a difficult one (because other factors and exposures are involved), the case you cite is worth noting by other readers as a warning to always use proper methods for material cutting and for dust control and for personal protection.

Back in the 70's many of us worked with dusty and hazardous materials without taking the risk seriously-enough. Signs of pleural mesothelioma may not appear until 2-5 decades after acute exposure to high levels of asbestos-containing dust. And even then symptoms may develop so slowly as to pass recognitiion for a time.

If you have more memories of the nature of your exposure and what protective steps you did not but could have taken, that might help other readers to stay out of trouble in the future.

Thank you for the comments, Jim.

On 2017-03-06 by Jim Alexander

I installed JM 12"X12" ceiling tile in my basement in 1974. I cut the tiles to fit in the area using my Rockwell table saw. I was recently diagnosed with PLUERA Mesothelioma.

...

Continue reading  at DO THESE CEILING TILES CONTAIN ASBESTOS? or see ASBESTOS TESTING LAB LIST for access to certified asbestos testing labs, or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see ASBESTOS CEILING TILE FAQs-4 - more recently-posted questions and answers about ceiling materials that might contain asbestos

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• ASBESTOS CEILING TILES
• ASBESTOS-FREE CEILING TILES
• ASBESTOS-SUSPECT CEILING COVEROVER
• ASBESTOS TESTING LAB LIST - certified asbestos testing labs
• DO THESE CEILING TILES CONTAIN ASBESTOS? - 6 Easy Steps to tell if CEILING TILES are likely to contain asbestos -
• DOES THIS MATERIAL CONTAIN ASBESTOS? - 5 easy questions to tell if a BUILDING MATERIAL probably contains asbestos -
• HAZARD vs RISK - what's the difference, why you should care

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ASBESTOS CEILING TILE FAQs-3 at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

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