In the State of California, a person must be licensed by the EPA to disclose and identify asbestos. Some inspectors have the capability to offer asbestos testing because they are licensed with the EPA. However, many inspectors do not have this designation and testing for asbestos is typically out of the scope of expertise of a home inspector due to the special licensing needed.
If a home inspector is offering asbestos testing verify their licensing.
In many cases asbestos testing must either be requested before the home inspection begins or can be requested if the inspector notices some areas that might be of concern.
Houses/structures built prior to 1978 can contain asbestos materials and it is typically more prevalent before 1978. However, asbestos is still a widely used material and can be found inside structures after 1978.
It is recommend that a licensed asbestos contractor/inspector further evaluate houses/structures built in this era for asbestos materials.
