My house was built in the 70s and I'm worried about asbestos. Where can I find a reliable asbestos testing service?

• Air-Tech Environmental - 4195 Chino Hills Pkwy, Chino Hills, CA 91709, United States
• MLA Environmental - Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91701
• Interlink Inspection Inc - San Dimas, CA 91773
• Vert Environmental - 701 W Kimberly Ave #190, Placentia, CA 92870, United States
• Inland Contractors, Inc. - 1115 S Milliken Ave Ste. D, Ontario, CA 91761, United States
• Condol's Environmental Services - 18340 Yorba Linda Blvd, Ste 107, Yorba Linda, CA 92886
• MLA Environmental, Inc - 6251 Schaefer Ave, Chino, CA 91710, United States
• Safeguard Envirogroup - 140 N Vermont Ave, Glendora, CA 91741, United States
• Envirocheck, Inc. - 2211 W Orangewood Ave, Orange, CA 92868, United States
• Condol's Environmental Services - 6061 E Ladera Ln, Anaheim, CA 92807, United States
• Decker Environmental - Orange County, CA 92859
• EXP Environmental - 2271 W Malvern Ave, Ste 231, Fullerton, CA 92833
• Vector Environmental Consulting Inc. - 18851 Bardeen Ave #205, Irvine, CA 92612, United States
• JLM Environmental - 15200 Grevillea Ave B, Lawndale, CA 90260, United States
• SHINE HOME ENVIRONMENTAL - 8395 Magnolia Ave, Riverside, CA 92504, United States

Yes. Since you’re in the Ontario/Inland Empire area, there are several nearby asbestos-testing firms worth contacting.

Local options

• Air-Tech Environmental — Chino Hills. Provides asbestos inspections, bulk sampling, and environmental consulting.
• MLA Environmental — Rancho Cucamonga. Offers asbestos inspections/testing and reporting.
• Interlink Inspection Inc — San Dimas. Focuses on independent asbestos inspections and sampling, including pre-renovation testing.
• Vert Environmental — Placentia. Provides asbestos surveys and sampling and advertises DOSH-certified inspectors.
• Inland Contractors, Inc. — Ontario. This is more of an abatement/remediation contractor, so I'd use an independent tester/consultant first rather than having the company that might remove asbestos determine the scope.

What makes a tester reliable?

Because your home dates to the 1970s, I'd specifically ask for an asbestos inspection with representative bulk sampling, rather than simply an air-quality test. The inspector should identify suspect materials and send samples to a qualified laboratory.

If you're in California, an especially useful credential to verify is a Cal/OSHA Certified Asbestos Consultant (CAC). Cal/OSHA maintains a searchable database of certified consultants and technicians, and specifically recommends that homeowners verify the consultant's current certification and AHERA training.

I'd also recommend not disturbing suspect materials before they're tested—don't scrape popcorn ceilings, pull up old flooring, drill into suspect drywall, etc. If you're planning a remodel, testing before demolition is particularly important.

If you tell me what part of the house you're concerned about (popcorn ceiling, floor tile, insulation, ducting, siding, etc.), I can tell you what materials from a 1970s house are most likely to contain asbestos and what kind of testing to request.

You can find a reliable asbestos testing service by contacting your state or local health department or searching for a licensed professional through the National Association of Radonors and Asbestos Professionals or your state's environmental protection agency.

Finding Professional Testing Services

• State Agency Directories : Check your state's environmental or department of health website for a roster of licensed asbestos inspectors and testing laboratories.
• EPA Guidelines : Review the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for guidance on selecting certified professionals who follow safe sampling protocols.
• Independent Mail-In Labs : Purchase an accredited NVLAP (National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program) mail-in test kit if you prefer to collect a small sample yourself following strict wet-down procedures.

Watch this video from This Old House to understand how professionals safely collect and analyze building samples in a laboratory:

6:12 How to Test for Asbestos | This Old House 49K views  · 1 year ago YouTube · This Old House

What to Look For

• Certification : Ensure the inspector or lab is accredited and certified under state or federal guidelines.
• Independent Analysis : Choose a firm that does not also perform the removal work to avoid conflicts of interest.

If you'd like, let me know:

• Your state or city
• Which specific areas or materials in your home you are worried about

I can help you locate local resources or specialized testing options nearby.

Finding a reliable asbestos professional for a home built in the 1970s requires looking for specific state accreditations and certified testing laboratories . Because disturbing asbestos improperly can release hazardous fibers, it is vital to use qualified experts.

• State Health or Environmental Departments: Your local state agency maintains lists of licensed or certified asbestos inspectors, contractors, and assessment professionals. Check the EPA State Asbestos Contacts directory to find your specific regional or state office.
• NVLAP Accredited Laboratories: If you or your inspector are sending a physical sample out for analysis, the NIST National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) provides a searchable directory of accredited laboratories that specialize in bulk material or air sample fiber analysis for asbestos.
• Independent Professional Inspectors: Look for local, independent industrial hygiene or environmental testing firms. Ensure that any inspector you hire is state-certified and independent from the abatement/removal contractor to avoid conflicts of interest (i.e., an inspector who finds "problems" they are then paid to fix).

To help narrow down your next steps, could you tell me:

• What specific material or area in the house you are worried about (popcorn ceilings, pipe wrap, floor tiles, siding)?
• Are you planning to remodel , or is the material currently damaged/deteriorating?

• Advanced Air Analysis Inc - 11 Warren Rd, Pikesville, MD 21208, United States
• Air Land & Water Engineering - 8950 MD-108 #228, Columbia, MD 21045, United States
• Hill Environmental Solutions, LLC - 17330 Frederick Rd, Mt Airy, MD 21771, United States
• V-IH Solutions, LLC - Environmental & Industrial Hygienists - 301 Main St #1d, Reisterstown, MD 21136, United States
• Jenkins Environmental Inc - 8600 Lasalle Road, Chester, Bldg. Ste 308, Towson, MD 21286, United States
• Professional Lead Inspections - Elkridge, MD 21075
• Arc Environmental - 1311 Haubert St, Baltimore, MD 21230, United States
• Environmental Health Consultants, LLC - 701 E Pratt St, Baltimore, MD 21202, United States
• Lodestar Inspection Services - 3454 Ellicott Center Dr, Ste 204, Ellicott City, MD 21043
• Air Land & Water Engineering, Inc. - 10017 Hackberry Ln, Columbia, MD 21046, United States
• Certified Property Inspection - 5004 Honeygo Center Dr Ste 102-227, Perry Hall, MD 21128, United States
• LodeStar Inspection Services, LLC - 3454 Ellicott Center Dr #204, Ellicott City, MD 21043, United States
• EMSL Analytical, Inc. - 10752 Baltimore Ave, Beltsville, MD 20705, United States
• AMA Analytical Services Inc - 4475 Forbes Blvd, Lanham, MD 20706, United States

Since your home was built in the 1970s, it’s reasonable to have it checked—many homes from that era contain asbestos in materials like floor tiles, pipe insulation, popcorn ceilings, joint compound, siding, and some HVAC components. You generally can’t confirm asbestos just by looking at a material; a qualified professional should collect samples and send them to a laboratory.

Since you’re in the Lochearn, Maryland area, a few nearby options to consider are:

• Advanced Air Analysis Inc — A local environmental consultant/asbestos testing service in Pikesville.
• Air Land & Water Engineering — Provides environmental testing and asbestos-related inspection services in the area.
• RTS Environmental Services, Inc. — Offers asbestos inspection and materials testing, including sampling of suspected asbestos-containing materials.
• Hill Environmental Solutions, LLC — Provides asbestos surveys, inspections, and bulk sampling.
• V-IH Solutions, LLC - Environmental & Industrial Hygienists — An industrial hygiene firm offering asbestos inspection/testing services.

When you call, ask:

• Are you an independent asbestos inspector (not only an abatement company)?
• Are samples analyzed by an accredited laboratory?
• What certifications/licenses do your inspectors hold in Maryland?
• Do you provide a written report showing sample locations and lab results?

Maryland’s Department of the Environment also maintains asbestos program resources and contacts if you want to verify requirements or credentials.

Until you know the results, avoid disturbing suspicious materials—especially drilling, sanding, scraping, or removing old flooring/ceiling materials.

Since your house was built in the 1970s, it’s reasonable to consider asbestos testing before renovations or disturbing older materials. Homes from that era may contain asbestos in places like popcorn ceilings, floor tiles, vinyl sheet flooring, pipe insulation, boiler insulation, roofing materials, siding, and some joint compounds. The only way to know for sure is to have suspect materials sampled and analyzed by a qualified lab.

I searched for services near Haledon, NJ. Some nearby options to consider:

• RMJ Environomics — Wayne, NJ environmental consulting firm that lists asbestos investigations and testing among its services.
• ARCO Environmental Services LLC — Ramsey, NJ environmental testing company that provides asbestos sampling/inspection services.
• Enviro Vision Consultants, Inc. — Fair Lawn, NJ firm offering asbestos surveying, sampling, air testing, and related environmental services.
• BNF Consulting NJ — Englewood, NJ environmental consultant offering asbestos testing services.
• Monarch Environmental — East Rutherford, NJ asbestos testing and environmental consulting provider.

When you call, ask:

1. Are your asbestos inspectors licensed/certified for New Jersey work?
2. Do you use an accredited laboratory for bulk sample analysis?
3. Will you provide a written report identifying sampled materials and results?
4. Do you only test, or do you also perform abatement? (An independent tester can sometimes reduce concerns about being pushed toward unnecessary removal.)

Avoid cutting into ceilings, flooring, insulation, or other suspect materials until testing is complete. If asbestos-containing material is intact and undisturbed, the risk is generally much lower than if fibers are released during demolition or remodeling.

For New Jersey-specific verification, the New Jersey Department of Health Asbestos Program provides asbestos resources and regulatory information.

If you tell me what part of the house you’re worried about (popcorn ceiling, basement pipes, flooring, siding, etc.) and whether you’re planning a renovation, I can help you decide what type of inspection to request.

Finding a reliable asbestos testing service starts with understanding whether you need an onsite professional inspector or just a laboratory to analyze a sample.

Because disturbing asbestos materials releases dangerous microscopic fibers into the air, the US EPA does not recommend collecting samples yourself [1.21] . It is safer to hire a licensed professional to do a comprehensive visual inspection and safely collect samples [1.21].

1. How to Find a Certified Asbestos Inspector

• State Health or Environmental Agencies: Your best and most official starting point is your state’s Department of Health or Department of Environmental Protection . Most states maintain an up-to-date registry or list of licensed/accredited asbestos inspectors and contractors. You can find your specific agency via the EPA State Asbestos Contacts Directory.
• Local Environmental Consulting Firms: Search online for local "asbestos inspection and assessment" or "certified asbestos consultant". Ensure that any local firm you contact can explicitly provide proof of state-level training, licensing, and accreditation.
• Get Written Estimates and Contracts: Before hiring, request a written contract detailing their work plan, compliance with local/state regulations, and a clear safety/cleanup protocol.

2. How to Find a Reliable Testing Laboratory

If an inspector or your local regulations allow you to use a testing lab (or if you are working with a firm that needs to send bulk samples out), you should verify the laboratory's credentials:

• NVLAP Accreditation: Look for laboratories accredited by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) under the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) . You can search for qualified facilities using the NIST NVLAP Directory.
• While federal regulations only mandate NVLAP-accredited labs for school buildings under AHERA, using a NVLAP-certified lab for residential properties ensures rigorous quality control and accurate Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM) analysis.

If you'd like to narrow this down, please tell me:

• What state or city are you located in?
• Are you planning a renovation/demolition , or did you find a damaged material in the house?

Finding a reliable asbestos testing service for a home built in the 1970s is a smart precaution, as asbestos was widely used in insulation, popcorn ceilings, floor tiles, and siding during that era.

Here is how you can find a certified and reliable professional to test your home:

• State or Local Environmental Agency : Check your state's Department of Health, Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), or local air quality management district. Most state agencies maintain a searchable directory of licensed asbestos inspectors and testing contractors.
• The EPA : Use the EPA Asbestos Contact Page or reach out to your regional EPA office for guidance on local regulations and licensed professionals.
• NVLAP Directory : Look for laboratories accredited through the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP). You can search for accredited material-testing labs using the NIST NVLAP Directory to ensure any samples taken are analyzed accurately.
• Independent Professionals : Hire a licensed, certified asbestos inspector who is independent of the abatement (removal) contractor. This prevents a conflict of interest, ensuring you get an honest assessment of whether removal is actually necessary or if encapsulation/leaving it alone is safer.

If you'd like, let me know:

• Your city or state
• Where in the house you suspect the asbestos is located (e.g., popcorn ceiling, basement pipes, flooring)

I can help you find specific regional resources or advice on how to safely handle a potential sample.

Because asbestos-testing services are location-dependent, I need your city and state to find reputable local providers. I don't have a user-provided or device-shared location to rely on.

You can either type your city/state (for example, “Rancho Cucamonga, CA”) or use the location-sharing option below:

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Yes. For a 1970s house, I’d use a Missouri-certified asbestos inspector, rather than a general home inspector or a DIY test kit. Missouri DNR says asbestos inspections must be performed by a person certified by the department.

A few St. Louis-area options worth calling:

• St. John Environmental Consulting, LLC — St. Louis; specifically offers asbestos inspections and testing and lists Missouri asbestos-inspector credentials.
• Precision Analysis, Inc. — Hazelwood, which is particularly convenient from Florissant; offers asbestos sampling/testing and laboratory analysis.
• Scope Environmental — St. Louis area; offers asbestos sampling/testing and is reported as having a Missouri-licensed asbestos building inspector.
• American Environmental — St. Louis; offers asbestos testing of materials including flooring and adhesives.
• HB Environmental Services — St. Louis area; its business listing indicates active Missouri asbestos-contractor registration and laboratory testing.

My first call would be St. John Environmental or Precision Analysis. Before hiring anyone, ask: “Will a Missouri DNR-certified asbestos inspector come to my home, collect the samples, and provide a written laboratory report?” That's a good way to distinguish proper testing from a company that merely eyeballs materials.

Also, don't disturb suspect materials before they're tested—especially flooring, pipe insulation, popcorn/textured ceilings, siding, or old adhesives. If you're planning a renovation, tell the inspector exactly what you intend to disturb so they can sample those areas. Missouri DNR notes that renovation inspections need to cover the areas affected by the work.

If you tell me what part of the house you're worried about (floor tile, popcorn ceiling, insulation, drywall, etc.), I can also tell you which materials from a 1970s house are the biggest suspects and what testing typically involves.

Finding a reliable asbestos testing service starts with ensuring the inspector or laboratory has proper state or federal accreditation . Because disturbing asbestos-containing materials can release hazardous fibers, the US EPA Asbestos Guidance strongly recommends hiring an independent, certified professional rather than attempting a DIY sample collection.

Reliable testing services and verification directories can be found through several trusted avenues:

• State Environmental or Health Departments: Most state departments of health or environmental protection maintain up-to-date registries or lists of licensed/certified asbestos inspectors and consulting firms. Check your specific state government website (often searchable via the EPA State Asbestos Contacts Directory).
• AIHA Consultants Directory: The American Industrial Hygiene Association offers the AIHA Consultants Listing , a free online directory where you can search for qualified local occupational and environmental health consultants.
• NVLAP Accredited Laboratories: If you are having a bulk sample analyzed, check that the processing lab is accredited under the National Institute of Standards and Technology's NIST NVLAP Directory to guarantee precise, high-quality fiber analysis.
• Independent Environmental Testing Companies: Local, dedicated industrial hygiene or environmental testing firms (distinct from abatement/removal contractors) can conduct visual assessments and safely take samples. Hiring an independent inspector ensures they have no financial conflict of interest regarding whether removal is actually necessary.

If you share your city or state , I can help locate the specific local or state regulatory agency directory to find certified professionals near you.