If you live in an older house that’s never been renovated, you might still have asbestos in various places of the structure, including the ceiling tile. The material can be difficult to detect without experience in the field and knowledge about specific applications. If you’re unsure whether your home may contain asbestos, it’s essential to get it professionally evaluated by someone who knows what they’re doing.
When Was Asbestos Used in Ceiling Tiles?
Asbestos ceiling tiles, similar to asbestos siding, were widely used in construction throughout the 20th century. Asbestos ceiling tiles were used because of their durability, fire resistance, and insulating properties. However, due to the serious health risks associated with asbestos, these tiles are now a significant concern in older buildings.
This can be a serious issue for homebuyers looking to save money on their purchase. On the one hand, homes with asbestos ceiling tiles are more likely to be listed below market value. On the other, buyers might be reluctant to order additional inspections because they don’t want to spend anything extra on their purchase.
If your home was constructed before 1980, there’s a good chance its ceiling tiles contain asbestos. The material could also be used in various other parts of the home, including pipe lining and garage insulation. While asbestos was eventually banned, the ban did not apply retroactively. As a result, many homes constructed with asbestos—including in their ceiling tiles—have remained unchanged.
What Do Old Asbestos Ceiling Tiles Look Like?
Unfortunately, asbestos ceiling tiles look no different than regular ones that don’t contain the material. Unfortunately, size is not a good indicator – while asbestos was prevalent in standard-sized tiles, it was also often used in more unusual designs, including custom-shaped tiles cut for specific home layouts. Asbestos ceiling tiles were popular from the 1940s to the 1980s for both residential and commercial buildings, particularly in drop ceilings and acoustic tiles.
The most reliable way to identify asbestos in your ceiling tiles is by getting a professional evaluation. Of course, this will cost you, but it’s the only way to ensure you know what you’re dealing with.
You don’t have to get someone to inspect your home on-site, but it will be helpful because the other option is to cut out a piece of ceiling tile and submit it to a laboratory for testing. The problem with this approach is that if the tile does contain asbestos, you risk releasing it into the air and inhaling it once you remove that piece.
Is Asbestos in Ceiling Tiles Dangerous?
Yes, asbestos in ceiling tiles can be dangerous when it's disturbed. When asbestos ceiling tiles are disturbed, asbestos fibers can become airborne and inhaled, leading to serious health issues such as asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma. Unfortunately, asbestos ceiling tiles can be disturbed very easily, even by accident.
For example, hitting your ceiling with a hard object while relocating things around the house or damaging a ceiling tile that you’ve removed for cleaning could release dangerous asbestos fibers. There is no shortage of scenarios where asbestos in your ceiling can be disturbed, spreading its harmful fibers through the air.
However, if left alone, the asbestos in ceiling tiles is not dangerous. It’s tightly compacted and poses no real health hazard in this form.
Can Asbestos Ceiling Tiles Be Covered?
Yes, covering asbestos ceiling tiles is possible. If the tiles are in good condition and undisturbed, encapsulating them by covering them with non-asbestos material can be a safer and less expensive option than removal.
However, while covering asbestos ceiling tiles is one option to alleviate the situation, it’s not a complete solution. It’s still possible that the material may get disturbed after you’ve covered it up. Worse, you may not even be aware of the situation due to the additional cover.
This means that the safest way to deal with asbestos in your ceiling is to remove it altogether. This will be costly if you have a large area to cover, but it’s the only way to stay safe in the long run.
Asbestos in Ceiling Tiles Bottom Line
While asbestos ceiling tiles were once valued for their functional properties, they pose significant health risks if disturbed. You may have lived in a house containing asbestos for a long time without even realizing it. Your ceiling tiles are one of the most likely places where you might find asbestos.
If you have asbestos ceiling tiles, removing them is the best way to approach the situation rather than attempting to cover it or temporarily push the situation back. So make sure to prioritize removing asbestos from your home as soon as you’ve discovered its presence, especially if you plan on selling the house soon.