Asbestos In Your Home

asbestos in your home

Although some asbestos has been removed from our homes over the past years, there are many thousands of tons of asbestos still present in Massachusetts homes today. There still remains extensive repair and removal work, which will definitely continue for the foreseeable future. The main source of asbestos in our indoor air is located in our insulation products throughout our homes. Buildings that were built in the last 50 years were built with a variety of materials composed of asbestos mixed with other fibers like paper, fiberglass, or synthetic fibers and a binder, usually lime or gypsum mortar. Manufacturers utilized asbestos for strengthening cement and plastics as well as for insulation, fireproofing, and sound absorption. Today, the most common domestic materials (in your home) that may contain asbestos are...

 

Furnace and Boiler insulation covering

 

Hot water pipe insulation

 

Tape at old furnace supply duct connections

 

Stove and transite flue pipes

 

Some exterior stucco

 

Attic insulation (usually vermiculite)

 

Artificial ashes and embers for use in gas-fired Fireplaces

 

Roofing mastic and asphalt composition roofing shingles and house siding material

 

Adhesive mastics for flooring, vinyl floor tiles ( usually the 9" x 9" tiles), asphalt floor tiles, and sheet vinyl flooring

 

Interior plaster and drywall joint patching compounds

 

Textured paints

 

Parts of some pre-1979 appliances (e.g. toasters, clothes dryers, hair dryers)

 

Asbestos was also commonly used in spray-applied textured ceiling coatings. For many years, acoustic ceilings, often called "popcorn" or "cottage cheese" ceilings, were a standard feature in homes. Until the late 1970s, asbestos was a common ingredient in these materials. Fortunately, this type of asbestos is not considered a significant health hazard unless it is disturbed or begins to deteriorate, releasing fibers into the air.

 

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Last updated on  Mar 16, 2025