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Some pros may recommend covering a popcorn ceiling that tests positive for asbestos with beadboard ceiling planks or drywall. The cost to install a beadboard ceiling averages more than $5,000, but you likely will pay more than the average for the installer to deal with the asbestos safely. Installing a beadboard ceiling or new drywall will disturb the asbestos and release some microscopic fibers, so the installer will need to take precautions. 

Whether or not to buy a home containing asbestos is ultimately a decision for the homebuyer, and there are several things to consider. When in good condition and contained, asbestos is unlikely to present a health risk—it’s when those tiny fibers are loose and airborne that they become a problem. Consider any renovations you plan on doing to the home that could disturb existing asbestos and the cost of removal. If an inspection finds asbestos in a home on the market, you could negotiate with the seller for a lower price, though this isn’t a sure thing.

Although the use of asbestos has declined since the 1980s, it remains in several different types of building construction materials for insulation and as a fire retardant. Typically, asbestos can be found in materials such as ceiling and floor tiles, heat-resistant fabrics and coatings, and roof shingles. You may also find asbestos in textured paint and patching compounds.

You can tell if old flooring has asbestos if thick black flooring adhesive is underneath the tiles. However, homeowners should not cut into linoleum floors to look for this adhesive. Instead, hiring a specialist to test the floors is the only safe way to determine if old flooring has asbestos.