Asbestos Testing and Inspections in Winnipeg

Find out if there is asbestos before the work starts

Asbestos hides inside ordinary building materials. A ceiling tile, a floor tile, a scrap of pipe wrap: none of them look dangerous, and none of them can be identified by eye. A lab test is the only thing that gives you a straight answer.

Mold Removal Winnipeg takes the sample for you and sends it to an accredited laboratory. When the report comes back, we explain it in plain language and tell you what your options are. Call (204) 789-1514 to book a test.

Why Winnipeg Homeowners Call Us For Testing

✔IICRC certified technicians collect the sample, so you never touch the material
✔Samples read by an accredited laboratory, not by a home kit
✔Bulk material sampling, air sampling, and pre demolition inspections
✔Testing for houses, rental units, and commercial buildings across Winnipeg
✔Clearance air testing after an abatement, so you know the area is clean
✔A written report you can hand to a contractor, a buyer, or an insurer
✔Local team at 792 Elm St, Winnipeg, MB R3M 3P5
✔Call (204) 789-1514 any hour of the day, 24/7

What Is Asbestos Testing?

Asbestos testing means taking a small piece of a suspect material and sending it to a laboratory. A technician studies the sample under a microscope and reports whether asbestos fibres are there, which type they are, and how much of the material is asbestos.

There is more than one way to test, and each one answers a different question. Bulk material sampling tells you whether a specific material contains asbestos, so it is the test to book before a renovation. Air sampling tells you whether fibres are floating in the air right now. A pre demolition inspection tells you which materials in the building have to be dealt with before a wall comes down.

We tell you which one fits your situation when you call, and we agree on the number of samples with you before anyone cuts into anything.

When Does A Winnipeg Property Need Testing?

The age of the building is the first thing to check. Asbestos was used heavily in construction until the 1980s, so a home built before 1980 is the most likely candidate. Buildings put up in the 1980s and 1990s can still contain it. After the 1990s it is unlikely.

The second thing to check is what you are about to do. Asbestos that sits still and stays in good shape is usually not a problem. Cutting, drilling, sanding, or tearing out old material is what puts fibres in the air, and fibres that reach the lungs can cause serious illness years later. That is why the test comes before the work, not after.

Testing also settles questions that have nothing to do with a renovation. Buyers and sellers want the answer in writing. Landlords want it on file. And if a ceiling or a length of pipe wrap has been damaged by water, you want to know what you are cleaning up before you touch it.

You Should Test For Asbestos If

✔Your home or building was put up before 1980
✔A renovation, a demolition, or a new roof is coming up
✔You are buying or selling an older property
✔Insulation, floor tiles, or a textured ceiling has been damaged
✔Water or fire damage has torn into walls, ceilings, or pipe wrap
✔A contractor or an inspector has asked you for a lab report
✔You think someone in the building has been exposed

Home Test Kits Compared To A Lab Test

✔A technician wets the material before cutting, so the room does not fill with fibres
✔Protective gear and double bagged samples on every visit
✔An accredited laboratory identifies the fibres under a microscope
✔The report names the asbestos type, which a home kit cannot tell you
✔A written result that a contractor, a buyer, or an insurer will accept
✔No guessing about whether you sampled the right spot or the right layer

Our Asbestos Testing Process

01

Inspection & Walkthrough

✔We walk the property with you and note every material that may contain asbestos
✔We ask about the age of the building and any past renovations
✔Suspect areas get photographed and marked
✔We agree on how many samples are needed before anything is cut
✔You get the price for the visit up front

02

Safe Sample Collection

✔The spot is sealed off before any cutting starts
✔The material is wetted down so fibres do not go airborne
✔The technician works in protective gear and double bags each sample
✔Every bag is labelled with the room and the material it came from
✔We patch the spot we sampled before we leave

03

Laboratory Analysis

✔Samples go to an accredited laboratory
✔Fibres are identified and typed under a microscope
✔The report states the asbestos type and the percentage in the material
✔Air samples are counted for fibres in the air you breathe
✔Clearance air sampling after an abatement, to confirm the work is finished

04

Your Report And What Comes Next

✔A written report listing every sample and what the laboratory found
✔We call you as soon as the laboratory reports back
✔Ask us about turnaround time when you book, so you can plan the work around it
✔We go through the report with you line by line
✔You decide the next step, and we tell you what each one involves

Reading Your Asbestos Test Result

If The Result Is Positive

✔Asbestos was found in that material, in the amount the report states
✔Material in good shape that nobody disturbs can often stay where it is
✔Material that is damaged, crumbling, or in the way of your project has to come out or be sealed
✔Keep the room closed and the HVAC system off until you have a plan
✔Stop renovation work in that area until the material is dealt with
✔Removal is the next step: see asbestos removal and abatement and we handle it from there

If The Result Is Negative

✔No asbestos was found in the material we sampled
✔Your renovation or demolition can go ahead on that material
✔Keep the report, because buyers, contractors, and insurers ask for it
✔A negative result covers the samples taken, not every material in the building
✔Call us again if you open a wall and find something you did not expect