Do Not Scrape It Until You Know What Is in It
Popcorn ceiling texture the rough, spray-applied ceiling finish common in Las Vegas homes built through the late 1970s is one of the most frequently identified asbestos-containing materials in residential construction. The spray-on texture products used during this period commonly included asbestos as a fire-retardant and texture-producing component. Testing is required before any work that disturbs the texture sanding, scraping, removing because disturbed asbestos-containing ceiling texture releases fibers into the air.
Intact popcorn ceiling that is in good condition and will not be disturbed is generally not an immediate health risk in the same way that disturbed material is. The fibers become a risk when they become airborne. If your popcorn ceiling is damaged, deteriorating, or about to be disturbed for renovation, testing is the right first step.
What the Testing Involves
We collect a small sample of the ceiling texture from an inconspicuous area. The sample is sent to an accredited laboratory that analyzes it under polarized light microscopy and reports whether asbestos-containing material is present and at what fiber concentration. If the result is positive, the ceiling texture requires handling as asbestos-containing material licensed abatement is required for removal. If negative, the contractor can proceed with standard renovation procedures.
Do not scrape a sample yourself to send to a mail-in lab. Disturbing the texture to collect the sample is the same hazard as the renovation work itself, and an improperly collected sample may not be representative of the full ceiling. We collect samples using safe procedures that minimize fiber disturbance. Call (702) 442-1126 and read more about our asbestos testing service.