Beware of Asbestos Hazards in Popcorn Ceilings

LA Testing provides affordable asbestos testing solutions to municipalities, property owners and environmental professionals.

Los Alamitos, CA

Popcorn ceilings, also referred to as acoustic ceilings, are found in many homes across the country. From the late 1950s all the way until the early 1980s the ceiling style was popular. Today many property owners have been removing the outdated ceilings and replacing them with flat or textured ceilings to update the look and feel of the property.

Not only is the process of removing popcorn ceilings labor intensive and extremely messy there is a much bigger issue, asbestos. Asbestos can be found in many types of popcorn ceilings and the older paints used on the ceilings. As the ceilings are renovated the asbestos can be easily aerosolized and become a health hazard.

La Testing and EMSL Analytical, one of the nation’s largest asbestos testing laboratory networks, advises property owners to get suspect ceiling materials tested before any renovations begin. This process can be done by hiring an asbestos professional or by carefully removing several small pieces of the ceiling material and sending them to a laboratory for testing. Before removing the small pieces of material it is advisable to first spray the area to be removed with water to minimize any asbestos from being aerosolized.

If the popcorn ceiling is found to contain asbestos it is strongly suggested that professionals who are qualified to deal with removing asbestos containing materials be used to ensure a safe project and to properly dispose of the asbestos containing waste.

“The dangers associated with asbestos in popcorn ceilings are potentially in tens of thousands of homes across the nation,” reported Ben Sublasky, National Director of Client Services for LA Testing and EMSL Analytical. “The deadly health effects associated with asbestos can take years or even decades to appear so it is important to test for asbestos and to have any renovations involving asbestos be handled by qualified professionals.”

To learn more about asbestos and other environmental testing services please visit www.LATesting.com, email info@LATesting.com or call (800) 755-1794.

About LA Testing and EMSL Analytical, Inc.
LA Testing and EMSL Analytical are providers of environmental testing services and products to professionals and the general public. The companies have an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies.

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EMSL Analytical, Inc.

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