What does asbestos look like?
You cannot identify asbestos with certainty by looking at it — and neither can we. What you can do is recognise the materials that usually contain it, and know not to disturb them until it has been tested.
Two questions, not one
Identifying asbestos is really two separate questions, and mixing them up is what sends people wrong. The first is what is this material — that is what the four guides above are for. The second is what condition is it in, because bonded material that has weathered, burnt or been smashed is treated as a different job in NSW law. See friable vs bonded asbestos for where that line sits and who is allowed to draw it.
Why you cannot be sure by eye
Asbestos cement and modern fibre cement look almost identical once they are painted. Age is the strongest clue: if the material was installed before the late 1980s, treat it as asbestos until a NATA-accredited laboratory says otherwise.
What to do if you think you have found it
Leave it alone. Do not break it, cut it, drill it, sand it or water-blast it, and do not sweep up debris. Photograph it from a safe distance and send us the photo — we will tell you what it looks like and what testing or removal would involve.
When you want it settled rather than estimated, asbestos testing gets a sample analysed by a NATA-accredited laboratory. If the answer comes back positive, the NSW licensing rules decide who is allowed to remove it, and the cost guide covers what that work is published to cost.
Identifying asbestos — common questions
How do I know for certain whether it is asbestos?
You cannot tell for certain by looking at it, and neither can we. Only a NATA-accredited laboratory can confirm the presence of asbestos, by analysing a sample under AS 4964-2004. We refer you to a licensed asbestos assessor, who collects the sample safely and has it analysed, and you get the laboratory's written result. Be wary of anyone offering an instant on-site result — that is an opinion, not an analysis.
Is there likely to be asbestos in my home?
If your home was built or renovated before the late 1980s, it is likely to contain asbestos somewhere. In Sydney the usual places are fibro wall and ceiling sheeting, eaves, corrugated roofing on garages and sheds, boundary fencing, and the backing under old vinyl floor tiles. Bonded asbestos that is intact and undisturbed is generally stable — the risk comes from breaking, cutting, drilling or weathering it.
Not sure what you are looking at?
Send a photo from a safe distance. We will tell you what it looks like, and whether it needs testing or removal.
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