Asbestos Walls and Ceilings

"Not in my house" or "not on my job-site". It gets so bad out there that some architectural firms won't even say the word "asbestos" - they use "the A-word". Once upon a time, they loved asbestos, now they hate it. What asbestos means to architects and contractors are delays and additional costs.

So, where is asbestos located in walls and ceilings? Tape and spackle areas are usually where you will find asbestos containing materials (ACM). Sheetrock sheets (4" x 8") are a suspect material as are all sprayed-on acoustical coatings. Sprayed-on acoustical paint with asbestos was applied well into the 80's. This sprayed-on can also become friable (crumbly - air born) and this is a hazardous situation. Plaster walls may have asbestos in the base brown coat, the typically white skim coat, or both layers.

Why do contractors have to deal with ACM? For one thing, it is a known carcinogen. The other thing is that there is a federal law (EPA 40 C.F.R. Part 61) requiring an inspection for suspect asbestos containing materials (walls and ceilings) prior to the renovation or demolition. Demolitions require a notification to the regulating agency even if no asbestos is discovered during the inspection. A licensed inspector who has attended a three-day class must also perform inspections. Then if asbestos is identified, there must be special training, protective clothing and containment of the work area.

An inspection requires a certain number of samples be taken from each different (homogeneous) building material. Sheetrock and plaster may require up to nine samples be taken from each homogeneous area. Homogeneous is defined in the regulations as the same color and texture - outside of the written law, some interpretations also use the date of installation. Actual samples needed per homogeneous area of sprayed-on material are three samples for up to 1,000 square feet, five samples for 1,000 through 5,000 square feet and seven samples over 5,000 square feet. The regulations recommend nine samples be taken for large areas, but this is not in the written regulation verbiage.

Additional suspect materials are floor tile and linoleum - these fall under the miscellaneous category and require two samples from each homogeneous area. The last category of suspect asbestos is thermal system insulation (TSI). This material is usually found on pipes and boilers and requires three samples from each homogeneous area.

To summarize, there are three categories of ACM : surfacing, miscellaneous, and TSI. Surveys must be done by licensed individuals. Bulk samples are the only way to determine the presence of asbestos. If asbestos is found special work practices and trained workers will be required. Additionally, if the project is greater than 3,000 square feet or 1,500 linear feet, a licensed asbestos project designer must write a design for abatement.

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