Asbestos Inspection and Testing in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia
AHERA-accredited inspectors sample suspect materials before renovation or demolition, send them to an NVLAP-accredited lab, and give you a report your contractor, permit office or buyer will accept. We do not perform abatement, so there is no conflict of interest in what we find.
Know what is in the wall before anyone cuts into it.
Any building built before 1981 is presumed to contain asbestos until sampling proves otherwise, and many newer buildings contain it in joint compound, floor tile, mastic and roofing. Maryland, Virginia and the District require an asbestos survey before renovation or demolition that disturbs suspect materials.
- Pre-renovation and pre-demolition surveys scoped to the work you are actually doing, so you only pay to sample what will be disturbed.
- Bulk samples collected by an accredited inspector and analyzed by polarized light microscopy at an NVLAP-accredited laboratory.
- A report with a sample location table, lab results, photographs and a clear list of what is asbestos-containing and what is not.
- Abatement specifications, air monitoring and final clearance when asbestos is found, so the project keeps moving.
Five steps from phone call to lab result.
Consultation
We review the renovation plans or the reason for concern, the age of the building and any prior reports, and tell you which materials need sampling.
Site walkthrough
An accredited inspector walks the interior and exterior, identifies suspect materials and assesses each for condition and friability.
Bulk sampling
Small pieces of each suspect material are collected under chain of custody, with the number of samples set by AHERA for each material type.
Laboratory analysis
Samples are analyzed by PLM at an NVLAP-accredited laboratory, with point counting or TEM available where results need it. Rush turnaround available.
Report
Location table, lab results, photos and recommendations: what can be removed by a general contractor, what needs a licensed abatement contractor, and what can stay in place.
Abatement support
If asbestos is found, we write the specification, monitor the air during abatement and issue the final clearance.
Materials we sample most often
Asbestos was used in more than 3,000 building products. In the DC area housing stock these are the usual suspects.
Friable
Plaster, drywall joint compound, popcorn and textured ceilings, pipe and boiler insulation, spray-on fireproofing, vermiculite attic insulation.
Non-friable
Vinyl floor tile and sheet flooring, mastics and adhesives, roofing and siding, caulk and glazing, transite panels, ceiling tiles, duct insulation, leveling compound.
Air monitoring and final clearance
Project monitoring
Daily air sampling and visual oversight while a licensed abatement contractor works, documented for the owner and the regulator.
Final clearance
Visual inspection of the containment and aggressive air sampling, analyzed by PCM or TEM, before the containment comes down.
Settled dust and fiber release
Microvac and wipe sampling when materials were disturbed without controls, to show whether fibers migrated and what cleaning is needed.
Before you book
Do I need an asbestos survey for my renovation?
If the work will disturb building materials in a structure built before 1981, yes in practice: contractors, permit offices and disposal sites will ask for it. Newer buildings can still contain asbestos in specific products, so we scope sampling to the materials your project touches.
How many samples will you take?
AHERA sets the minimum by material type and quantity, typically three to seven samples per material. We quote the number up front after reviewing your plans.
How fast are results?
Standard lab turnaround is a few business days; 24-hour and same-day rush analysis is available when a project is waiting on the answer.
Do you remove asbestos?
No. We inspect, test, write the abatement specification, monitor the work and issue the clearance. Removal is done by licensed abatement contractors we can refer you to.
Is asbestos dangerous if left alone?
Intact, undisturbed materials in good condition are generally managed in place. The risk comes from disturbance: cutting, sanding, drilling or demolition that releases fibers. That is why sampling happens before the work starts.
Residential and commercial asbestos surveys across the DMV
Multifamily, hospitality, schools and commercial buildings quoted per project, anywhere in the region.
Renovating? Get the survey done this week.
Send us the scope or the address and we will quote the sampling on the call. Weekdays 8 to 5.