# Ceiling tiles- asbestos?



## KevinA (Feb 16, 2008)

I'm looking at buying an older house, built in 1961. It'll be a project, needs a lot of work, but has good potential. It has these ceiling tiles throughout, some are in poor condition, some falling off, etc. I took a sample. Do you think they have asbestos?


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## loneframer (Feb 13, 2009)

KevinA said:


> I'm looking at buying an older house, built in 1961. It'll be a project, needs a lot of work, but has good potential. It has these ceiling tiles throughout, some are in poor condition, some falling off, etc. I took a sample. Do you think they have asbestos?


 The answer is always yes until you have them tested.:thumbsup:


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## KevinA (Feb 16, 2008)

Definately plan to get them tested. :thumbsup: Just wondering if that style of tile might be any indication.

Removing them would be pretty expensive, right? I've seen abatement work on large institutional jobs, looks like work to charge big bucks for.


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## loneframer (Feb 13, 2009)

KevinA said:


> Definately plan to get them tested. :thumbsup: Just wondering if that style of tile might be any indication.
> 
> Removing them would be pretty expensive, right? I've seen abatement work on large institutional jobs, looks like work to charge big bucks for.


 My guess is that they do contain asbestos, you could rock over them, but its hard to say if the firring behind them is secured well enough.:thumbsup:


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## We Fix Houses (Aug 15, 2007)

Contact your local EMSL lab. http://www.emsl.com/ They're all over NC. You can send the sample US Mail. They just ask you to double bag the sample.

Represent yourself as a company. They'll set you up right there on the phone, take your credit card or check. Three day result is about $25, 24 hr $35, 1 hr $50


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## KevinA (Feb 16, 2008)

loneframer said:


> My guess is that they do contain asbestos, you could rock over them, but its hard to say if the firring behind them is secured well enough.:thumbsup:


So, if I could just cover it with drywall, would I want to know if it has asbestos? I mean, if it does, I could use it to my advantage in negotiating an offer on the house. But if I'm just gonna rock over it anyway, I'd have to disclose that it is there if I ever sell the place later. hmmm....


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## KevinA (Feb 16, 2008)

We Fix Houses said:


> Contact your local EMSL lab. http://www.emsl.com/ They're all over NC. You can send the sample US Mail. They just ask you to double bag the sample.
> 
> Represent yourself as a company. They'll set you up right there on the phone, take your credit card or check. Three day result is about $25, 24 hr $35, 1 hr $50


Thanks. They have a location close by to drop it off. :thumbsup:


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## A+ Texture (Sep 23, 2008)

I know it might be tempting, but test it for sure. You don't want that nagging your conscience down the road. Besides, I think you'd be better off rippin down and rehang.


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## BellaFlor88 (Oct 11, 2010)

*What were the test results?*

I have ceiling tiles that look exactly like the one you posted. I'm in the process of getting mine tested as well. Do you know how old they are? I sure hope they don't contain any asbestos, it'll make things a lot simpler.

What did you find out?


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## We Fix Houses (Aug 15, 2007)

BellaFlor88 said:


> I have ceiling tiles that look exactly like the one you posted. I'm in the process of getting mine tested as well. Do you know how old they are? I sure hope they don't contain any asbestos, it'll make things a lot simpler.
> 
> What did you find out?


First - go to the introductions page and let us know a bit about yourself.

Second - Seldom some one is going to say if the results are positive for asbestos.

Third - This thread is 18 months old. Just enough time for a person associated with the contractor (lawyer or home owner) or the job in question to find this thread and use it against the contractor. 

Fourth - If this is the case we're on to it as it has and does happen here. If not the case, my apologies. I am just a guest here on this forum and this is my experience. 

Fifth - Let us know how your test turns out ?


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## GPI (Jan 13, 2005)

KevinA said:


> I'm looking at buying an older house, built in 1961. It'll be a project, needs a lot of work, but has good potential. It has these ceiling tiles throughout, some are in poor condition, some falling off, etc. I took a sample. Do you think they have asbestos?


Looks like cellulose


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## Anti-wingnut (Mar 12, 2009)

GPI said:


> Looks like cellulose


Asbestos can look like cellulose, as they are both fiberous.

Other than that, you post is specious and useless


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## Rouerplastering (Sep 6, 2010)

Growing up in Door County Wisconsin we have/had 2 shipyards nearby. I know ALOT of people who have worked there, many of them for well over twenty years. Many have worked with asbestos, and I can name exactly zero who have been affected by it. Is it good for you, probably not. But IMO it's mostly hype. I wouldn't worry about it if it were in my house. And I did have some just like that in my house. Now they are in a landfill somewhere. I just took them to the dump.
How many people do you know who have been affected by asbestos?


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## GPI (Jan 13, 2005)

Anti-wingnut said:


> Asbestos can look like cellulose, as they are both fiberous.
> 
> Other than that, you post is specious and useless


Nasty reply once more.


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## Anti-wingnut (Mar 12, 2009)

Only nasty if you chose to view it as such. It is impossible to ascertain the presence of asbestos without the use of instruments such as a polarizing microscope. To proclaim a ceiling tile as being asbestos free (which you did imply) based on a single photograph on the internet, is poorly considered at best.


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

Anti-wingnut said:


> Other than that, you post is specious and useless





> spe·cious/ˈspēSHəs/Adjective
> 1. Superficially plausible, but *actually wrong*: "a specious argument".


So was that statement. :laughing:

The OP didn't ask for a lab analysis, he asked for opinions. I think we need some doggy downers around here.


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## taper71 (Dec 5, 2006)

My mother died of cancer caused by asbestos 8 years ago so please... asbestos does affect people seriously!!!


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## GPI (Jan 13, 2005)

Anti-wingnut said:


> Only nasty if you chose to view it as such. It is impossible to ascertain the presence of asbestos without the use of instruments such as a polarizing microscope. To proclaim a ceiling tile as being asbestos free (which you did imply) based on a single photograph on the internet, is poorly considered at best.


I didnt say it was or wasnt anything. I said it looked like cellulose,which wasnt an implication of anything. Relax.


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## Rouerplastering (Sep 6, 2010)

taper71 said:


> My mother died of cancer caused by asbestos 8 years ago so please... asbestos does affect people seriously!!!


Sorry to hear about your mother. How was she exposed to it?
I can only speak from many people who I know worked with it daily and were not affected by it.


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## dprimc (Mar 13, 2009)

I don't know about asbestos, but if it was built in 1961 I bet they have lead in them. Just ask the EPA!


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