If you hire a dedicated asbestos inspector near you in addition to your local home inspector, it will cost between $200 and $800. If, however, your general home inspector happens to be certified as an asbestos inspector, they can charge you a smaller fee and tack on the cost to the home inspection. In general, home inspectors do not do physical testing, but will provide a visual assessment so you know what you are working with.

Asbestos is absolutely cancerous. In fact, around 4% of all lung cancer cases are the result of asbestos exposure. This is why we recommend a full, professional removal and cleaning of any asbestos found in your home. If you are unsure whether there is any present, you should call a pro who will inspect your property.

Asbestos-containing materials are not easily affected by water and do not disintegrate or dissolve when exposed to it. However, porous materials can deteriorate due to water exposure, leading to the release of asbestos fibers into the air. The settling of asbestos fibers can also occur as water makes them heavy, which reduces the risk of airborne exposure, though future disturbance of the materials could cause risk. Wetting asbestos-containing materials does not constitute safe removal, and the proper handling and disposal of asbestos materials should be left to professionals.

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.