I knew that homeownership would have its ups and downs or as some might say, “the good, the bad and the ugly,” but as my husband and I sat in our lender’s office on a cold February day, I didn’t expect there to be downright scary aspects to it, too.
About a month into living in our humble abode, I discovered something that shook me: asbestos-containing materials, made up of microscopic, indestructible fibers that pose serious health risks if disturbed and inhaled, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).
Because our ceiling texture tested negative for asbestos during our home inspection, there was no tile (a common source of asbestos) in the home and I have an air purifier that I regularly run, I thought we were in the clear. Oh, was I wrong. Not to alarm anyone, but this stuff can be anywhere, and contrary to what I’d hoped, an air purifier isn’t the end-all, be-all of asbestos remediation.
What started as a vent cleaning turned into hours of researching, worrying and moments of stating out loud, “I wish I stayed a renter.” Ignorance is bliss after all.
During the stressful journey to homeownership, I’ve learned quite a few things about asbestos, and I think anyone who lives in a home built before 1985 (or sometimes even later if you’re outside of the US) would like to know.
Here’s everything to know about asbestos in your home, including what role air purifiers play.
What is asbestos?
The Coway Airmega 400S was able to clear both small and large particles in the air during CNET’s testing.
Because asbestos fibers are light and microscopic (think tens of thousands of times thinner than a grain of rice), they are invisible to the naked eye and can remain airborne when disturbed.
Because of this, you may think that an air purifier could help clear those tiny fibers from your home’s air, especially since CNET’s lab testing of air purifiers showed that you can rely on them for clearing particles like pollen, dust, pet dander, viruses, bacteria and smoke.
But, given the tiny size of asbestos fibers, it’s a little more tricky. Although Newman says an air purifier could help to a degree, as long as it is equipped with a true HEPA filter that captures up to 99.97% of airborne particles, it should not be relied on as a solution for asbestos contamination.
However, if you’re searching for an air purifier for allergies, to prevent illness or to remove pollutants from your home’s air, CNET recommends the Shark HP232 and the Coway Airmega 400, which showed impressive results in our lab testing for capturing both large and small particles.
“(An air purifier) is not going to suck (the fibers) off the floor, necessarily, but in the air,” Newman says. “HEPA filtration will capture most of those particles.”
The bottom line is that while an air purifier can help to a small degree, it’s not a foolproof way to prevent asbestos exposure.
“You could start there,” Newman says. “But if you know that there’s (asbestos-containing material) there, you’re going to have to figure out how to contain it. It’s always better to stop the exposure than try to reduce it.” For that, you’ll want to call in a professional asbestos abatement service.
“Crap, I renovated an old home. Now what?”
Don’t panic. Now, I know that’s rich coming from someone who did just that after finding asbestos in my home, but there are a lot of scientific numbers that may be able to ease your mind.
To put things into perspective, cigarette smokers are 15 to 30 times more likely to get lung cancer when compared to those who don’t smoke, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Non-smokers exposed to asbestos are roughly three to five times more likely to get lung cancer.
“We may not be able to prevent every asbestos exposure, but I can prevent myself from smoking,” Newman says.
He adds that these numbers do not typically translate to one single exposure.
“(For) a short-term, low-dose exposure, it’s going to be really hard to measure that effect,” Newman says. “I don’t think people have to lose their minds over that.”
However, that doesn’t mean asbestos isn’t an issue. If you think you disturbed asbestos-containing materials during a renovation, you should stop the project and get the material tested to be on the safe side. If it comes back positive, you can contact a certified asbestos-abatement company for proper removal or containment (often called encapsulation).
Newman also urges against trying to handle asbestos abatement on your own. “It’s definitely not a DIY thing at all,” he says.
Why did the asbestos ban take so long?
Bans don’t happen overnight, and banning asbestos in the US proved to be especially tricky.
In the ’70s, the EPA began banning certain asbestos-containing materials, with most products being fully banned in 1989. However, that ruling was overturned in 1991, and chrysotile asbestos (the most common type of asbestos) was still used in the US until it was banned by the Biden Administration in 2024.
Although asbestos was not used in common housing materials in 2024, it was still used in other items such as automotive brakes and brake pads. Some countries, including Russia and China, still use asbestos.
However, banning materials is not new. Similarly, lead is another example of something that was banned in stages in the US and more recently, Red Dye No. 3. Although the ban of the food coloring was announced in 2024, companies that use the dye in food and ingested drugs have until 2027 or 2028, respectively, to remove it from products.
