How to tell if your house has asbestos (NSW)
Signs your Sydney home may contain asbestos, where it hides, and how to confirm it with a test.
Can I tell asbestos just by looking at it?
No. asbestos.nsw.gov.au says asbestos was used in over 3,000 building materials and you can't tell just by looking (asbestos.nsw.gov.au). The only way to be sure is to have a sample tested at a NATA-accredited lab.
Is my house likely to have asbestos?
Age is the biggest clue. The NSW EPA says if your house was built before 1990 it probably has asbestos-containing materials (NSW EPA). asbestos.nsw.gov.au estimates 1 in 3 NSW houses built or renovated between 1945 and 1990 contain asbestos (source).
Where is asbestos usually found in a house?
Common places listed by asbestos.nsw.gov.au include roofing, ceilings and internal walls, eaves, fencing, flue and water pipes, fireplaces, behind tiles and flooring underlay (source).
What should I do if I think it's asbestos?
Treat it as asbestos and don't drill, cut, sand or break it. If it's in good condition and won't be disturbed, it is lower risk. To confirm, get a licensed asbestos assessor or occupational hygienist to sample it (how testing works). See asbestos testing cost in Sydney.
Get a free quote from a licensed removalist
Sydney Asbestos Quotes is a free referral service. We are not an asbestos removalist and we do not hold an asbestos removal licence. We pass your request to independent removalists who say they hold a current SafeWork NSW licence, and you should always check a removalist's licence yourself before you engage them. Nothing on this site is safety or legal advice; see SafeWork NSW.