Frequently Asked Questions

UKAS Accredited laboratories no longer report the asbestos percentage as part of the analysis process.

This is a separate test carried out to determine whether a positive sample is to be classified as an insulation board or cement product. This information is important when developing the correct removal method. A water absorption test should be carried out on a suitable sample (i.e. a minimum of 3 cm x 3 cm or 9 cm²) which is free of any adhering material. Please contact us if you require further advice.

A bulk analysis sample will simply report whether the material you have sampled contains asbestos, and if positive, the asbestos fibre type. Results are reported by means of a certificate of analysis.

An asbestos survey (either a Management or Major Refurbishment/Demolition) involves a surveyor led inspection of the whole property or tailored scope of work. Representative samples of materials suspected to contain asbestos will be collected, and a detailed report issued including an asbestos register, material risk assessment, photos and plans. Asbestos surveys remain a legal requirement for all commercial properties built prior to 1999 and highly recommended for domestic purchases or refurbishment projects.

We recommend you take a moment review our step by step instruction manual provided with your kit which will guide you through the sampling process.

Our Kits are ideal for sampling common low risk materials that potentially contain asbestos. These would include materials like wall and ceiling panels, textured coatings, vinyl-based floor coverings, cement products, roofing felts etc

Don’t panic. The first thing to do is take a bulk sample of the material to confirm whether it contains asbestos. This can be achieved using either our full sampling kit or sample analysis service depending on your individual needs. If the sample does contain asbestos, the material will need to be risk assessed by a suitably competent person to determine the most appropriate next steps.

Although houses built pre-1900 are unlikely to contain any constructional asbestos, it is common that anything added post construction e.g. heating installations, electrical works, renovations and extensions may have involved the use of asbestos containing materials of different types.

Asbestos containing materials can be found in a wide range of products used during construction or renovation. This however will greatly depend on the age of your property and the extent of any refurbishments or extensions. Generally however, asbestos in domestic properties are found in things like textured coatings to walls and ceilings, floor coverings such as vinyl lays and tiles, wall and ceiling panels, insulations to heating and electrical systems, felts to flat roofs and loft spaces, external soffit and fascia’s and outbuildings e.g. garages.

Asbestos fibres exhibit a wide range of properties that make them ideal for use in many different building applications across the domestic, commercial and industrial property sectors. Asbestos was also relatively easy to locate and transport, available in large quantities across the world and cheap to refine. The UK alone imported over 6.2 million tonnes of asbestos in the late 20^th century, with Chrysotile (white asbestos) being the last type to be banned in 1999.

Asbestos is dangerous when the asbestos fibres are released into the air from damaged materials or when the materials are moved, sawn, cut, broken or abraded. The asbestos fibres are so tiny they pass deep into the lungs and your natural defences are unable to remove the fibres from the lungs. They build up in the lungs and your body’s immune system attacking the fibres causes damage and scarring to the delicate lung tissue. Over time this leads to asbestos related diseases such as asbestos, lung cancer and the asbestos specific cancer of the lung lining mesothelioma.

Asbestos is the name given to a group of naturally occurring fibrous silicate minerals. The 3 main types of asbestos were traditionally known by the colours they resemble when refined – blue, brown & white asbestos, but also known in the industry by their trade names – Crocidolite, Amosite and Chrysotile.

Once all the samples have been taken, bagged and individually labelled, place them in the prepaid return envelope provided. Ensure that you enclose the sampling booking form listing all of the sample types and locations and your contact details. Please ensure you follow our guide on the postage weight and size restrictions, or you may exceed the postage allowance. There may be a delay in getting your results if the samples are packaged incorrectly.

It is recommended that you take multiple samples from different points across the area ( at least 3 samples is the recommendation). Place all samples in the same bag to form one homogenous sample.

Return your item within 14 days of receipt and we will provide you with a refund (minus any postage costs). The product must be returned as new, with all components included. For more information please read our refund policy here. 

Some customers will already own suitable personal protective equipment to take samples. In this case click the sample analysis option when ordering. This option contains sample bags, full instructions and a pre-paid return envelope.

Our testing kits are not recommended for sampling sprayed coatings, pipe insulations, or any loose asbestos insulations materials, these are high risk, and we recommend a qualified professional surveyor from Artisan Environmental is employed for sampling high risk asbestos containing materials like these.

Please contact us for further information.

When the results are finalised we will email you your laboratory Fibre Identification Certificate which will tell you whether asbestos has been identified in the sample, and if so which fibre type (Crocidolite – blue, Amosite – brown, or Chrysotile – white). This will be sent to the email address provided on the booking form.

Test results will available within 5 – 7 working days of us receiving the samples from you.

A sample size of 2-5cm is sufficient (approximately the size of a 50p piece). For large areas, such as warehouse roofs, it is recommended that 2 – 3 samples should be taken across the surface area to ensure the product type has not changed. Full instructions for taking samples of each type of material is included with the kit.