How to Test a Painted Popcorn Ceiling for Asbestos

Test your popcorn ceiling for asbestos.

During the early 1970s, asbestos was frequently used in building materials, including painted popcorn ceilings. Many homes today still contain original asbestos-based ceilings, floors and siding. If you want to remove an older popcorn ceiling in your home, you must first collect ceiling samples for laboratory asbestos testing. Removing a popcorn ceiling without laboratory testing could put you at serious risk of potential exposure to asbestos, which could lead to cancer or Mesothelioma.

Things You'll Need

• Gloves
• Respirator
• Spray bottle
• Water
• Detergent
• Step ladder
• Putty knife
• Snap and seal plastic bags

Instructions

1. Wear protective gloves and a respirator. Gloves protect your hands from direct exposure to asbestos and a respirator prevents asbestos inhalation.

2. Turn off the heat or air conditioning in your home before collecting popcorn ceiling samples. Turning off the air reduces the chances of airborne asbestos particles being transported throughout your home.

3. Pour water and a couple drops of laundry detergent into a spray bottle. The water and added detergent helps hold down asbestos particles during removal.

4. Stand on a step ladder and spray the water and detergent solution onto separate sections of the popcorn ceiling overhead. Allow the water to soak into the popcorn.

5. Scrape off one-inch of each damp popcorn section using a putty knife. Place each sample into separate snap and seal plastic bags.

6. Open your Yellow Pages directory and search for laboratories under the "Asbestos Consulting and Testing" section. Contact a laboratory and schedule a day to bring in all three samples. If testing results indicate the presence of asbestos, consider hiring a professional asbestos removal contractor.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not scrape popcorn ceiling samples without wetting the surface.

• Do not remove popcorn ceiling samples without wearing protective gloves and a respirator.

References

• Natural Handy Man: Information About Removing Popcorn Ceiling Samples
• Ask Tool Talk: How Do I Obtain A Sample of My Popcorn Ceiling for Asbestos Testing