Asbestos, Lead, and Mold Testing and Removal in South Dakota
Asbestos Inspection and Testing Services in South Dakota
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos refers to a set of naturally occurring minerals, each of which is commonly identified and referred to by its color (white, brown, or blue) and other properties. Although asbestos has been mined for over 4,000 years, and it is now known that prolonged exposure to the microscopic mineral can result in a respiratory disease called asbestosis, as well as malignant lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Asbestos under the microscope
Building Materials That May Contain Asbestos:
- Stucco
- Cement Pipes
- Cement (Transite) Board
- Vinyl Floor Tile (especially 9"x9") and Mastic
- Vinyl Sheet Flooring (Linoleum)
- Ceiling Tile, Panels, and Adhesive Glue Tabs
- Sheetrock
- Sheetrock Taping Compound
- Caulking
- Vermiculite (typically in block walls or attic)
- HVAC Duct Insulation
- Boiler/Tank Insulation
- Breaching Insulation
- Boiler Gaskets
- Pipe Insulation and Elbow Joints
- Flexible Duct Connectors
- Fire Doors
- Sink Insulation
- Electrical Cloth
- Electrical Wiring Insulation
- Spray-on Insulation or Fireproofing
- Base Flashing
- Rolled Roofing
- Cement Roofing Shingles
- Gray roofing paint
Identification of Asbestos-Containing Materials:
To accurately inspect, quantify, and categorize the potential materials that contain asbestos in your building an accredited Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) building inspector should be hired to perform a building inspection. An accredited inspection of this type will meet local, state, and federal regulations and ensure that you are meeting your legal responsibility and protecting both yourself and your contractors from liability regarding building materials that contain asbestos.
All asbestos sampling performed by Prairie Environmental Consulting is carried out pursuant to 40 CFR 763.86 as required by AHERA. All samples will be collected by an AHERA accredited asbestos building inspector and analyzed by polarized light microscopy (PLM) by a laboratory accredited by the National Bureau of Standards (NBS). All asbestos samples are taken under wet-removal method to minimize the likelihood of airborne particles being released from materials containing asbestos.
Vermiculite in Attic
A comprehensive asbestos inspection report should include:
- Identification of homogenous areas (areas where potential asbestos containing materials are uniform in texture and color)
- Linear or square footage calculations for each suspect material
- The minimum number of samples taken from each type of suspect material
- Photos of suspect materials
- A floor plan identifying homogenous areas and sample locations
- A copy of the laboratory results, identifying types and percentages of asbestos in each sampled material
Prairie Environmental Consulting, LLC has an asbestos inspector, certified in both South Dakota and Iowa, with the experience and knowledge necessary to conduct asbestos inspections in residential and commercial buildings in South Dakota and Iowa.