Where to look for Asbestos in your home or office

Until the 1970's many insulation and construction products were made with asbestos (in fact, some still are today--but today they must be clearly labeled). According to the EPA:

Asbestos In The Home/Office Checklist

This checklist, adapted from the EPA, is a good place to begin your personal Asbestos inspection. However, it's always a good idea to get a licensed professional to complete a thorough inspection if you are concerned about Asbestos in your home.

• Insulation (check the attic, walls, ceilings, etc), particularly if the house was built before 1950;
• Check steam pipes and boilers for paper tape or blankets made of asbestos
• Flooring, particularly around stoves (since asbestos is well known for it's fire resistance)
• Older furnaces (particularly coal, oil, and wood) may have asbestos insulation in the form of cement sheet, millboard, or paper; pay particular attention to worn seals around the door gaskets
• Some roofing and siding shingles are made of asbestos cement
• Asbestos may be present in textured paint and in patching compounds used on wall and ceiling joints (though their use was banned in 1977)
• Artificial ashes and embers sold for use in gas-fired fireplaces may contain asbestos
• Older products such as stove-top pads, fireproof gloves, ironing board covers, and certain hairdryers may have some asbestos compounds
• Asbestos is found in some vinyl, asphalt, and rubber floor tiles and the backing on vinyl sheet flooring and adhesives.
• Soundproofing or decorative materials sprayed on walls and ceilings.

Think you might have found some asbestos? Here's how to find out for sure...