Asbestos by material
Seven common residential asbestos-containing materials. Each page walks through identification cues, the build-year risk bands, and the safety rules for disturbing the material. Popcorn ceiling is the V1 anchor page — the full calculator lives on the homepage.
- Popcorn ceilingsThe V1 anchor. Full risk calculator, 60 state and province pages, and safety guidance on the homepage.
- Vinyl Floor Tiles9x9 tiles and black mastic adhesive in pre-1980 homes carry significant risk. Here is how to check safely.
- Vermiculite Attic InsulationMost US vermiculite attic insulation came from the Libby, Montana mine and was contaminated with tremolite asbestos. If your attic has it, treat it as contaminated.
- Pipe and Boiler InsulationWhite or gray corrugated wrap on basement heating pipes in pre-1980 homes is almost always asbestos. Do not disturb.
- Textured Paint and Joint CompoundPre-1977 textured paints and drywall joint compounds frequently contained asbestos. Sanding is the primary exposure risk.
- Cement Siding (Transite)Transite and asbestos-cement siding shingles in pre-1985 homes contain 10 to 30 percent chrysotile asbestos by weight. Intact is safer than friable, but cutting is dangerous.
- HVAC Duct Wrap and TapeWhite paper-like tape on duct seams and corrugated wrap on older air handlers often contained asbestos. Most common in pre-1980 forced-air systems.
- Roofing Felt and ShinglesPre-1980 asphalt roofing felt, built-up roofing, and some asphalt shingles contained asbestos reinforcing fibers. Intact roofs are low risk. Tearoff is not.
More materials and reference guides
Identification guides for additional residential asbestos-containing materials. Each includes home-age risk bands and what to do before any disturbance.
- Does My Popcorn Ceiling Contain Asbestos?Spray-applied ceiling texture from before 1978 has a high probability of containing asbestos. Here is how to identify yours by home age and what to do next.
- Drywall and Joint Compound: Risk by Home AgeJoint compound (drywall mud) was banned from containing asbestos in 1977. Sanding pre-1977 drywall seams is the primary exposure risk in homes of that era.
- Does Old Plaster Contain Asbestos?Plaster is less commonly asbestos-bearing than joint compound, but pre-1980 finish coats and patch compounds occasionally did contain asbestos. Here is how to assess yours.
- Asbestos Cement Water Pipes: Should Homeowners Worry?Asbestos-cement (AC) pipes carried municipal water to millions of US homes from the 1930s through the 1980s. The drinking-water risk is small. The renovation risk is real.
- Black Mastic and Floor Adhesives: Identifying AsbestosMastic is the black tar-like adhesive used under vinyl floor tiles, ceramic tiles, and resilient sheet flooring through the late 1970s. It is regulated as a separate ACM from the tile.
- Asbestos Gaskets in Old Boilers and FurnacesAsbestos rope, sheet gasket, and woven cloth sealed boiler doors, furnace flues, and steam-system flanges through the late 1980s. Service replacement is the exposure event.
- Asbestos Roof Shingles: How to Identify by Home Age and StyleAsbestos-cement shingles and asbestos-reinforced asphalt shingles were used through the late 1980s. Hexagonal and diamond patterns from 1930 to 1960 carry the highest probability.
- Types of Asbestos Insulation Found in HomesSix distinct asbestos insulation types appeared in pre-1990 US homes. Each has a different visual signature, location, and exposure risk profile.
Sources & Regulatory Authority
Risk bands and guidance on this page are sourced from the following agencies. We cite directly so the authority is one click away.
- U.S. EPAProtect Your Family from Sources of Asbestoshttps://www.epa.gov/asbestos/protect-your-family-asbestos
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1101Asbestos Standard for the Construction Industryhttps://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926.1101
- CDC / NIOSHAsbestos workplace and consumer safety informationhttps://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/asbestos/
- Health CanadaAsbestos in the home: identification, exposure, removalhttps://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/air-quality/indoor-air-contaminants/health-risks-asbestos.html
- HUDAsbestos Operations and Maintenance Planshttps://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/PIH/documents/AsbestosO_M.pdf