If you’re living in a house or working in a building built before 1990, there exists a very real possibility that asbestos may be present in some of the construction materials used.
The fire-resistant properties of this naturally occurring mineral have made it a popular building material. Even after a nationwide ban, it is still present in various properties and components today.
During the peak construction years (1920-1990), asbestos was added to various building materials, such as floor tiles, mastics, plaster and insulation materials. Unfortunately, there is no way to determine that a building materials contains asbestos just by looking at it.Â
The only acceptable method is through laboratory analysis using PLM (Polarized Light Microscopy) or TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy) by trained technicians.Â
Removing asbestos can be very costly, with lots of potential health risks. The first step in the process is to confirm that asbestos is present within a building material. You can not do it by a visual inspection alone, no matter who tries to tell you otherwise.
If you’re in the process of purchasing or renovating a home built between 1920 and 1990, an asbestos survey may be part of a solution that can save you time, money and headaches.Â
The Axxonlab team has put together this comprehensive guide to explore these asbestos surveys in detail here so you can have peace of mind when reselling your house or getting it reconstructed.
Asbestos surveys are systematic inspections where trained professionals will see if your house contains any Asbestos-Containing Materials (ACMs).Â
Studies have shown that many building materials and components built in Canada between the ’20s and ’90s are at risk of containing some sort of ACM. Professionals not only visually examine these potential components but also collect physical samples of them to analyze at an accredited laboratory.Â
Basically, asbestos inspections have three main purposes:
Whenever you’re planning to reconstruct your house or resale it to another buyer, remember to get in touch with professionals for an asbestos inspection.Â
Without the data that comes from an asbestos survey, a construction worker may accidentally disturb asbestos fibers in your home and spread it across other areas of the house, making asbestos removal even more difficult.
There’s also a legal side to asbestos inspections. If you are doing any maintenance work at home or planning renovations/demolitions in houses constructed in the 19th century, the Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) requires that:
“…a report shall be prepared stating the type(s) of asbestos and the condition of the asbestos-containing material, and the location of the asbestos-containing material.”
Also, an asbestos survey can increase your property’s resale value. The new occupants will be willing to pay more if professionals have inspected your home for asbestos.
The survey will guarantee that there aren’t any ACMs lurking around the property waiting to be disturbed.
Since there’s been a ban on ACMs since 2018, homeowners and property managers have to look into asbestos inspections in many different cases, whether during normal occupancy or when they want to renovate the structure.Â
We’ll discuss two major types of ACM surveys in this section:
This survey helps identify ACMs during normal occupancy or routine maintenance work. Professional sampling technicians will methodically extract samples of suspicious building materials for analysis.Â
They ensure that disturbance of potential asbestos is minimized through their rigorous training and experience.
Applicable in commercial and residential properties (especially the ones made before 2000), this survey type is for achieving these goals:
This survey type is intrusive and is conducted before a major demolition/refurbishment plan. The professionals conducting this survey aim to identify all ACMs that could be disturbed for safe removal. So, these hazardous materials are taken care of before the scheduled renovations.
The goals of this ACM survey type are as follows:
But when is an asbestos survey needed? Let’s understand this in the next section.
Considering the fact that Canada used to be a major producer and consumer of asbestos, experts recommend this survey if you live in a pre-1990 house.Â
So, here are a few reasons why asbestos inspections are recommended::
After learning about the two main types of asbestos survey, you may be wondering how experts at asbestos testing facilities conduct this inspection. Well, here’s a breakdown of the general steps included in this process:
Surveyors will gather relevant data regarding the building in question, such as:
Then, they will prepare a survey plan with the scope of asbestos inspection outlined. This plan will also mention the survey areas and sampling strategies.
A preliminary walkthrough of the premises will allow surveyors to understand the layout of your home. They can also identify areas where asbestos may possibly be found.Â
Also, they can take note of any locked/restricted areas that require special access management.
A visual inspection of your property will allow surveyors to check every room or area.
They’ll examine walls, ceilings, floors/beneath floors, service ducts, attics, basements, and other hidden spaces where ACMs might be present.
If surveys identify suspected ACMs, they will take samples for lab analysis. They will label it with details like its location and condition.Â
With handheld sampling equipment and protective gear, they will ensure minimal exposure when collecting these samples.
A laboratory will analyze these samples to confirm the presence of asbestos. This analysis shall also reveal the asbestos type. Then, you’ll get a comprehensive asbestos survey report from the relevant lab.
An important aspect of an asbestos survey is the report. These reports kick off with an exhaustive walkthrough where every nook and cranny of the property is inspected.
Samples are meticulously collected from various materials and then analyzed to check for asbestos presence, condition, and type. What you get at the end is not just a list but a comprehensive guide that includes where the asbestos is, what state it’s in, and, crucially, a tailored management or action plan.
This plan might recommend anything from leaving the asbestos undisturbed if it’s in good condition to encapsulation or full removal if it poses a risk.Â
Additionally, these documents often incorporate visual elements like photographs and blueprints, which map out asbestos locations, aiding in understanding future renovations or demolitions.
They outline the risks associated with each identified asbestos-containing material, ensuring that anyone reading the report understands not just where and what the asbestos is but also how urgent or not its management might be.
For property managers or owners, this report becomes a legal and safety blueprint, guiding how to handle asbestos in compliance with health regulations, offering recommendations for staff training on asbestos awareness, and even suggesting follow-up air monitoring to confirm that the environment remains safe post-intervention.
Some of the tools commonly used during an asbestos survey include the following:
Now you know the importance of the asbestos survey, its types, and how professionals conduct it. If you spot something suspicious and need a definitive answer, call the pros right away. You can not smell, see, or even feel the hazardous asbestos. So, it’s best to leave asbestos detection to experts.
Professional asbestos testing services available at Axxonlab specialize in identifying this material in both hidden and visible parts of your house. Why resort to DIY methods and take a risk when you can get an accurate assessment?
We have state-of-the-art technology and seasoned asbestos detection professionals familiar with identifying asbestos-containing materials (ACMs).
Our team of professionals wears the required personal protective equipment (PPE) to collect asbestos samples on your property. We make sure to collect the appropriate amount of asbestos for our analysis safely with little to no dust dispersal.
After collecting the sample, we also apply temporary patches to the exposed area. We then properly catalog and store the samples for our lab analysis.
Be proactive with asbestos detection! The last thing you want to deal with is disturbed asbestos fibers when in the middle of a renovation or demolition project.Â
An asbestos survey is your ticket to a safe and surprise-free project.
If you’re in the process of purchasing, renovating, or demolishing a property with building materials installed between 1920 and 1990, give us a call.Â
The pros at Axxonlab will guide you through the necessary steps to undertake a professional asbestos survey inspection and avoid unnecessary costs, headaches, or worse.
