"Popcorn" ceilings

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Permalink Reply by Guy Johnson on March 14, 2008 at 5:06pm

Wow, Lexi! This is all very good information. Thank you very much for your reply.

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Permalink Reply by Eric Thaden on March 17, 2008 at 5:49pm

Some do and some don't. But the fact that the house was built in 1975 tells me that it only may contain asbestos. So I would suggest that your clients have it tested. If it was 1965 I'd say you had a winner for sure. When I was a college student at Cal Poly I had a very high paying job as an asbestos removal technician. I was fully certified and had a cool storm trooper outfit like in Star Wars. It was mostly for asbestos insulation on steam and hot water lines in campus buildings, but occasionally we would do acoustic ceiling removal.

Asbestos is not dangerous if it is painted over and encapsulated. Remodeling that disturbs asbestos ceiling coatings/textures is mainly a hazard to the people doing the work and those in the immediate vicinity. I'm sure each of us has huffed more than a few asbestos fibers in our time. It's the airborn microscopic fibers that you can't see that will kill you by getting into your lungs and scratching them up and embedding themselves in your delicate tissues. It's also about the concentrations that are inhaled, like with anything else.

The removal is not difficult or dangerous, as Lexi mentioned, but the debris does need to be disposed of properly. If not disposed of properly it will be forever being kicked around in the environment and being inhaled by living things.

The problem with uncertified contractors doing removal is that you really don't know if they or their employees are trained in proper removal techniques and whether or not the stuff get disposed of properly. In the heyday of my asbestos removal career we saw a lot of contactors with less than stellar integrity hiring non english speakers to do the work without proper tools or protective clothing and equipment. A red bandana tied around one's face doesn't do a thing to prevent inhaling the stuff. Remember it's the stuff you can't see that will kill you eventually.

Also, I'm sure that ton's of the stuff has just been put in plastic bags and then into a dumpster and then disposed of as regular construction type waste at the landfill where it's run over with loaders and dozers and blown all over the country.

I wish I had contacts for you, but I just don't. Been out of the game a while. I'd say get a few different estimates and have it done right.

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Permalink Reply by Guy Johnson on March 18, 2008 at 4:30pm

Thanks, Eric. This helps a lot.

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Permalink Reply by Michelle Bater on March 25, 2008 at 1:25pm

Great info guys and gals! I do agree that asbestos is considered more of a concern if it is in poor condition like chipped or peeling “popcorn”. It can be, as Eric said, encapsulated and painted over which is considered to be safe, but I’d leave that decision up to your buyer. When in doubt test it out! Asbestos Team Labs in Sparks can test it for you, leave it to the experts! 775-359-3377

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Permalink Reply by Peter Seuss on April 10, 2008 at 10:58pm

Hey Guy..
Yes accustic ceilings can be scraped and re-finished by plasterers or tapers.. I can make some recomendations. If you weren't aware, I was a plasterer by trade proior to getting into Real Estate. Most homes after 1975 would not have used asbestos to my recolection. I checked with my brother, who has been in the trades for about 10 years now and they have never delt with it. Best advice is to have it tested there are a few companies that do this in the area however to my understanding it can get quiet expensive if it is asbestos. AND YES IT GETS VERY DUSY AND MESSY lol... I can make suggestions on how to minimize the mess and remove it quickly... I am helping refinish a condo with my brother this weekend funny as it is ....

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Permalink Reply by Guy Johnson on April 11, 2008 at 1:18pm

Thank you for your tips Peter. And, no, I was not aware that you were a plasterer by trade in a previous life.

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