If you suspect you may have asbestos in the walls of your home, it may be time to have an asbestos inspection done (visit asbestos register Sydney if you live in Sydney). If you have never had one done before, however, you probably also want to know how they are done, how long they take and what you can expect if you get one.

How is an asbestos inspection usually done? — A certified inspector will come to your home with an asbestos testing kit. He will then look around your home taking samples of any suspicious material he sees that may be asbestos or may have asbestos in it. This material could be wrapped around your boiler or pipes, it could be in your basement or attic, or under sinks or in cupboards. It could also be in vents or air ducts.

Once he has collected material samples, he will usually also take air samples from several rooms in your home. This will allow the lab to test it to see if tiny particles of asbestos may be floating in the air in your home.

How long does a typical inspection take to complete? — Most inspectors do not take too long to complete an asbestos inspection as they know exactly what they are looking for. Most inspections will be complete in an hour or so. Then the test kit is sent off to a lab to be tested for asbestos.

The results will be certified with signatures from both the lab and the inspector. They will then be sent to you along with a recommendation for what you should do next should asbestos be discovered in your home.

Can you test for asbestos yourself? — It depends on where you live as to if a certified inspector must do an asbestos inspection, or if you can do it yourself. In most cases in the United States, an inspector is the only one allowed to test for asbestos. In other countries, however, a certified asbestos testing kit can be sent to you and you can take the necessary samples. Once you have all the samples you need, you can then send it to a specific laboratory for testing.

What are your options should asbestos be found? — Again, it depends on where you live. In most places, however, there will be two main options available to you.

The first will be the removal of the asbestos in a quick job that only takes a day or two. The second will mean having your entire home tented so that the asbestos can be removed safely, and without any of it escaping into the surrounding air. If you have large pieces of asbestos in your home, the first way is often good enough. If, however, you have very small pieces of asbestos contaminating your home, having it tented may be the only way to remove it safely.

In some countries too, it is recommended that your home is demolished if it is found to be contaminated with loose-fill asbestos, as the pieces can be too small to ever be able to remove safely.