Recently, I’ve been showing many homes with popcorn-textured ceilings, that splendid staple of the mid-to-late 20th century. As of late, popcorn ceilings have fallen out of style and may it forever remain so. Homeowners concluded they didn’t enjoy seeing a substance resembling cottage cheese on their ceiling. I am often asked if this once-popular ceiling texture is likely to contain asbestos. This is a very important question to answer if you are considering removing the texture from your ceiling. There is not a clear-cut answer. If the home was built before 1978, it is very possible it contains asbestos and you should test the ceiling material before disturbing it. But even if the home were built after 1978 and well into the mid-to-late 1980s, the ceiling could contain asbestos.
Incidentally, I wonder how much asbestos I inhaled as a young child. As a four-foot-something nine-year old, I loved to flaunt my vertical prowess by jumping and scraping the 1960s popcorn ceiling in our home growing up. I loved to watch the likely-asbestos-laden white flecks slowly descend and surround me like snowflakes at Christmas. I also enjoyed doing the same at the classy homes whose popcorn ceilings were infused with gold glitter, making the experience of falling asbestos dust even more magical.
What is Asbestos and Why is It a Problem?
For those who aren’t familiar with asbestos, here is a brief primer primarily from epa.gov. “Asbestos is a mineral fiber that occurs in rock and soil . . . . Because of its fiber strength and heat resistance, asbestos has been used in a variety of building construction materials for insulation and as a fire retardant.” Id. However, it was discovered (when is contested) that exposure to asbestos increases a person’s risk of developing lung disease, including lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis. Id.
While asbestos-containing material (“ACM”) is generally safe if undisturbed, asbestos fibers can be released into the air by the disturbance of ACM, especially during repair or remodeling. In general, exposure occurs only when the ACMs are disturbed or damaged in some way to release particles and fibers into the air. Id. Asbestos fibers break down into tiny filaments that can remain suspended in air for a long time. These fibers can be inhaled, causing long term bodily damage that will likely not be discovered until decades later.
What are Popcorn Ceilings and Why Were They Used?
Popcorn ceilings were popular in the mid-to-late 20th century because the material allowed home-builders to inexpensively cover unfinished ceilings, provided a measure of flame resistance, concealed ceiling imperfections (by making the whole surface perfectly imperfect), and dampened noise and echoes throughout the home. They became a staple in production-built subdivision tracts. Popcorn ceilings were sprayed on. Because of the strength and fire-resistant properties of asbestos, popcorn ceilings were typically 1 to 10 percent asbestos.
When was Asbestos in Popcorn Ceilings Prohibited?
Prior to 1978, asbestos was frequently used in popcorn ceilings. In a 1977 amendment to the Clean Air Act of 1970, however, the federal government prohibited the manufacture of spray-on ceiling texture (among other things) containing asbestos. However, the law and accompanying regulations permitted suppliers to use up existing inventory—they didn’t have to throw away asbestos-containing ceiling texture that had already been manufactured. Thus, while manufacturers switched to paper fiber in 1978, pre-existing asbestos-laden popcorn ceiling texture could still be used. Therefore, it is conceivable that a home in the mid-to-late 1980s could have asbestos. In perusing newspapers.com, some columnists suggested instances of asbestos being found in ceiling treatments as late as 1986. (See, e.g., Leon Frechette, Asbestos in Ceiling has Owner Concerned, Spokane Spokesman-Review, Dec. 10, 2004, p. D3). But I could not find an authoritative source that definitively established the last year popcorn ceiling texture containing asbestos was applied in a home.
If your home was built in the mid-to-late 1980s, you should test your popcorn ceiling for asbestos if you plan to remove it.
Accordingly, if your home was built even as late as the mid-to-late 1980s (and any time before then), it would be prudent to test your ceiling for asbestos prior to removing the texture. If it contains asbestos, it is recommended you consult with a qualified asbestos remediation contractor. Fortunately, testing is relatively inexpensive and easy.
According to epa.gov, federal law requires the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to maintain a listing of online directory of accredited laboratories. Through this directory you can search for labs that are accredited to test building materials for asbestos content and/or test for the presence and amount of asbestos in air samples. This list includes at least one laboratory located in the Reno-Sparks real estate market.
If you have expertise in this area and know of a more definitive date after which there is no concern about asbestos in popcorn ceilings, do not hesitate to contact me. Always err on the side of caution and consult asbestos testing and mitigation professionals before disturbing anything that has any possibility of containing asbestos.
