FAQs on building environmental hazards:

Guide to articles giving in-depth advice on indoor and building related environmental hazard inspection, detection, remediation: Environmental Hazard Testing, Effects, Remedies, Prevention Procedures. Indoor Contaminant Detection, Testing, Cleanup, Illness, Symptoms, Diagnosis.

These articles explain building indoor environmental hazard inspection, detection, and remediation procedures giving advice from un-biased experts.

Example topics include explanation, testing and remedy procedures for building hazards from: asbestos, mold, IAQ, toxic gases, fiberglass, sewage backups, bacterial hazards, lead, radon, UFFI, noise pollution, oil spills, odors & smells, ozone, other potential building indoor contaminants.

The photo at page top shows steel chemical drums that I (DF) discovered on a residential property during a home inspection.

Also try the page top or bottom SEARCH BOX as a quick way to find information you need.

Environmental Hazard Testing, Effects, Remedies, Prevention Articles

These questions and answers about diagnosing & curing indoor environmental problems or hazards were posted originally

at ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS at BUILDINGS - home page, where we page provides

an index to key articles about the building indoor environment: hazards, troubleshooting, or contaminant identification, risk assessment, and remediation.

You will also find our master index to building environmental topics at the MORE READING links at the bottom of this article or scroll down through the descriptive list of building-related environmental topics discussed at InspectApedia.

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Small Gasoline Spill Cleanup procedures?

I have a question about accidental spill of gasoline in residential setting. I recently noticed a smell of gasoline and determined it was from a gasoline container stored under the deck. Container was kept on gravel service over soil under deck.

I’m unsure about the exact amount that Leach, but it could be in the half gallon to gallon range based on what was remaining in the container itself. I was able to transfer the remaining gas in the container to an intact, gas container and was glad that no more had leaked out before I figured this out.

This was a few days ago, and the smell of gasoline is gradually fading. I’m not too concerned about the smell, which is fading away, but I’m wondering if, in your opinion, if there’s any thing that I could or should do in relation to any affected soil underneath the gravel.

Thank you for you help - this website is a terrific resource. 2025-06-02 by Anonymous

Mod reply: Procedure for containment / cleanup of small gasoline spills

@Anonymous,

RE: procedure for containment / cleanup of small gasoline spills:

Thanks for a helpful question about a gasoline spill.

First priority:

Watch out: gasoline is so highly flammable that there can be a very serious fire or explosion hazard risk, even when as in your case the gasoline spill was outdoors. So as long as fumes or liquid gasoline are present avoid sparks, flames, etc. (For example, don't use a vacuum cleaner to try to pick up contaminated soil.)

Watch out: also, if gasoline is spilled near a water source such as a shallow well or dug well, pond or stream, don't drink the water until testing shows that the water is safe. (Illinois Department of Public Health advice on Gasoline Hazards [PDF] https://www.idph.state.il.us/cancer/factsheets/gasoline.htm )

That said, there are two approaches you might consider for responding to the small spill you describe.

1. Subjective, simple approach: Follow basic advice for spill cleanup that relies on use of absorbents sprinkled over the ground surface in the spill area.

Watch out: depending on where you live, by law, you might be required to report the spill to your local state or provincial department of environmental protection; where spills risk contaminating ground water or other water sources more steps could be required, though from your description that sounds quite unlikely.

I've seen simple kitty litter used as a surface absorbent, but there are also special products intended for use with petroleum spills such as described by the US EPA at OIL SPILL EATER II TECHNICAL PRODUCT BULLETIN #B-53 - https://www.epa.gov/emergency-response/oil-spill-eater-ii

If the spill was large enough that there is a persistent odor you might need to remove contamianted soil, treat it as hazardous waste, and dispose of it at a haz-waste facility that will accept it - again depending on where you live.

---

2. Objective, techinical approach: Other expert sources such as the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) describe a more technical approach that advices soil testing and then taking action depending on the soil test result.

For a small spill such as yours, where the total area affected is less than 10 square feet, NYS DEC advices collecting a single soil sample to be tested for the level of soil contamination present.

Then, depending on the soil contamination level the DEC will recommend the level of action needed.

For this more erudite approach to a petroleum product spill this document is in my opinion quite informative, perhaps a little scary for a homeowner, but fortunately, is probably far more thorough than you may need.

Details are at Petroleum-Contaminated Soil Guidance Policy, NYS DEC https://dec.ny.gov/regulatory/regulations/petroleum-contaminated-soil-guidance-policy

Note: Soil Cleanup Guidelines and Guidance Values were replaced by CP-51: Soil Cleanup Guidance (PDF) - Issued 10/21/2010; Effective 12/03/2010. - https://extapps.dec.ny.gov/docs/remediation_hudson_pdf/cpsoil.pdf

The Oklahoma government also provides an easier to read guidance on oil and gasoline spills and includes a Spill Guidance Procedural Check List at

Diesel and Gasoline Spills - https://www.deq.ok.gov/wp-content/uploads/deqmainresources/DieselGasSpillGuidance.pdf

I'm with you if you think that all of this careful exposition on my part is probably "over-kill" but I'm trying to be responsible and thorough here.

---

For your specific gasoline spill, even if you don't recall just how full it was when it was placed there, you know the size of your gasoline container and you can determine how much gasoline was in it when you discovered the leak.

From that you can make a very reliable estimate of the maximum volume of gasoline that may have spilled and you can have a general idea of the square feet of soil affected.

A typical cleanup for a very small gasoline spill onto soil would include

1. Stop the spill / leak of gasoline.

You've already done this and you've removed the source.

More generally and more-immediately if the spill were near a storm drain or stream etc. you'd use soil berms or booms to block the movement of the liquid over the surface. This wont' apply to your case.

2. Spread cat litter or sand over the affected area as an absorbent. Even though it is a bit late, this might be worth doing to absorb some of the volatiles that remain under your deck.

The US EPA describes SPILLCLEAN a product specifically designed for this purpose - at https://www.epa.gov/emergency-response/spillclean produced by Super Sat Ventures, Inc., S96 W34577 Jericho Drive, Eagle, WI 53119 USA Phone: (414) 840-9223
E-mail: dwk@ssvinc.com (Mr. Daniel W. Klein)

You may find similar products readily available where you live, from an automotive supplier or possibly building supplier or janitorial supplier.

Advice varies on how long to leave the absorbent in place; when I've done this step I removed the kitty litter after a few days and if there was a significant remaining spill evidence I'd apply a new layer to repeat the procedure.

Every source I've reviewed on this question tells us not to try using water to dilute or dispose of or disperse the gasoline spill; doing so simply expands the area of contaminated soil.

3. Most states expect you to put the contaminated absorbent (or kitty litter) along with any soil you remove into a suitable container to take to your state or provincial hazmat waste disposal site.

Let me know if you've further questions. Thanks again.

Daniel Friedman

Follow up:

@InspectApedia thank you very much for that thorough information and explanation. Given my specific situation, I think I will put some kitty litter down in that area that was affected which appeared to be roughly the size of the “footprint“ of the gas can itself. I will monitor for any ongoing odor that persists. I’ll then collect the kitty litter in any material I pick up and bring to hazmat collection site.
I really appreciate the help! Publisher,

Reply:

@Anonymous,

That sounds reasonable to me, and responsible as well.

DF

How do I test the indoor air quality in my new home?

how do I test the indoor air quality in my home? started experiencing itchy watery eyes scratchy throat fatigue headache after 3 weeks living in new home. 2022-07-04 by Diane M Capilongo

Mod reply:

@Diane M Capilongo,

It’s not uncommon for someone moving into a new home to experience symptoms that could be attributed to indoor air quality issues.

First, houses are being built much tighter today than they were a generation ago, either deliberately by energy-minded builders or simply as a by-product of using modern building materials, including tight-fitting doors and windows.

Second, the number of synthetic building materials has rapidly expanded to include synthetic carpeting, a wide variety of plastics, wood composites, adhesives, sealants, and finishes.

These, along with the wide variety of cleaning, personal care, and hobby products stored and used indoors, provide most homes with an ample source of airborne chemicals.

New homes: Plan to run the ventilation system at high speed for at least the first few months of occupancy, since paints, plastics, pressed wood products, and many other materials will outgas at their greatest rate during this period. If the house still smells of fresh paint or new carpet, volatile organic compound (VOC) levels are still too high.

To start, do take a look at

STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING INDOOR AIR QUALITY IN HOMES

Watch out: for “test and run" IAQ consultants who do little more than collect an "air test for mold" or a few other simple air tests. Such air tests are quite unreliable when they do not detect anything, and even if the test does suggest there is a problem you are left with no idea what to do next. Hiring someone who might actually give useful advice probably costs less in the long run than your "stop by and test" consultant.

And also see

INDOOR VOC'S - A BUILDING OCCUPANT'S GUIDE TO INDOOR AIR QUALITY

Keep in mind that

1. "air tests" alone are never a reliable indoor air quality diagnostic: there is a very high chance of false negative results, and further we find that at least for particulate contaminants like dust or mold spores, the test results can vary by 4 orders of magnitude depending on details of how the test is conducted. So a "mold count of 10,000 might be in truth, 10, or vice versal.

2. There are thousands of possible gases or chemicals or allergens or particles that could be present indoors. While it can be useful to screen for certain common ones, the most-effective approach in diagnosing a house IAQ problem is to begin with an on-site expert who

interviews occupants for their complaints, observations, and special health vulnerabilities

takes a case history of the building, its leaks, repairs, renovations, pest treatments, use of potentially hazardous products etc.

inspects the entire building outside and inside, including its mechanical systems, looking for evidence of conditions that are common causes of IAQ complaints.

How to detect high levels of creosote in water

Are there residential water tests that detect high levels of creosote? Google search coming with nothing. - On 2020-10-19 by Anonymous

Reply by (mod)

Our CDC sources on creosote cited at the CREOSOTE HAZARDS article to which I referred you state a related observation:

There is no medical test to determine if you have been exposed to creosote. Some components of creosote mixtures can be measured in body tissues, urine, or blood after exposure to creosote. These tests cannot tell whether harmful health effects will occur. The tests are not routinely available at the doctor’s office because they require special equipment.

so you'd figure that your local water test lab can tell you what components (for example coal tar) that might serve as a telltale can be tested in well water.

 

Safety of using old railroad ties at my home?

Hello, my question pertains use of old railroad ties on residence. Just moved into house recently I noticed a small retaining wall which appears to be built from what looks like all railroad ties. I have attached an image for review. This wall is approximately 20 feet from where the well is

And I’m wondering if there is any need for concern in the event that these were treated with creosote at one time. Thank you - On 2020-10-11 by Chris -

Reply by (mod) - do I need to be concerned about creosote treated railroad ties around my house?

If the wooden ties are indeed real railroad ties they'd have been treated with creosote.

See details and some example photos of creosote-treated railroad ties at CREOSOTE HAZARDS - topic home - where we have moved this discussion. I appreciate the discussion and welcome any comments, questions, or critique.

How do we address an asbestos hazard in our home after our bad test results came back?

If test for asbestos came back indicating presence of asbestos, what would be the best source of guidance related to how to address. I wouldn’t want to get the results and then not know how to address them. Thank you again, this has been very helpful. On 2019-07-25 by Anon -

by (mod) - asbestos cleanup of a few asbestos particles

Anon:

IF there are one or two random asbestos particles that may already be an acceptable level of cleanliness.

But IF the dust test shows that asbestos is among the dominant particles, then additional cleaning of ALL surfaces in the affected areas would be in order; typically that's damp wiping and HEPA vacuuming of hard surfaces. Some soft surfaces might also be sufficiently cleaned by vacuuming.

Also see

ASBESTOS REMOVAL CERTIFICATIONS

ASBESTOS CLEANUP COMPANIES

Anonymous - tape sampling can indicate high levels of unusual materials in building dust

Thanks- ok I’m glad I asked. I read the info on tape sampling of dust. If I’m understand it, it sounds like this testing can indicate if prescience of certain types of previously airborne dust since the surface was last cleaned.

I initially thought I needed to make sure that the dust had to be sampled from an area that had not been dusted since the possible release of fibers (in this case 7 years ago). However, after reading more, it seems that the tape test would indicate if meaningful amounts of airborne fibers have been present since surface last cleaned.

For example, If surface was sampled based on 6 month old dust and results “negative” could that be taken to be a reasonable assessment of ongoing health risk from that dust although the removal of a portion of that flooring was further in the past? I know I’m asking a lot of questions but just want to make sure that I know as much as possible before moving forward.

Also, in this case, if the results indicated meaningful amounts of asbestos dust, appropriate action would take place on my part. After any cleanup is completed, would info pertaining to the presence of asbestos need to be communicated to a future buyer of the house? Was wondering about that given that i would not be sampling the old flooring directly ( and is now encapsulated in cement). Thank you

Followup by (mod) - Disclose previous enviro-scare topics like an Asbestos cleanup to a future home buyer?

Anon:

About disclosure to a future buyer that you've cleaned and / or covered asbestos suspect flooring: Asbestos and other environmental topics can have a disproportionate scare effect on some home buyers - read

ENVIRO-SCARE - PUBLIC FEAR CYCLES

In my OPINION it's better to disclose and reassure a buyer about topics that may be frightening, including details of what the concern was, what was done about it, and what tests or inspections have been performed to close the issue; a buyer ought to rely on their own independent inspections and tests, both to protect everyone from a future dispute, and to avoid the slightest worry on the buyer's part that you're asking them to rely on data from a biased party with a conflict of interest.

If an asbestos cleanup has been properly performed and is documented and supported by independent inspections and tests by a qualified expert who has no conflict of interest with the transaction of selling a property, that ought ought to close the question.

But as you'll read in the article above, the level of public fear never falls to zero.

Your attorney will advise you on legal obligations to disclose to a buyer things about your home.

OPINION: In my experience (nearly 50 years around construction and real estate and home sales), if we exclude the fringe of people who panic irrationally no matter what and who cannot be put at ease, full disclosure ought to build confidence whereas "discovery" by a buyer that a seller seems to be or was previously hiding something is harmful to everyone.

Does a HEPA vacuum cleaner filter do enough if put into any vacuum cleaner? Leaky?

Thank you again for your input. I just bought a new vacuum and replaced the filter with a the manufacturers Hepa filter.

Are there Hepa vacuums per se, or does having a Hepa filter in regular vacuum mean a vacuum is Hepa?

Also, while my vacuum is new with new Hepa filter, I’m not sure how to tell if it’s leaky.

Regarding my comment, I’m not sure the my new vacuum is a fully sealed system in spite of fact that a the company offers a Hepa filter.

I just read on the company (Miele) website that only the more expensive models have rubber gaskets, etc. Is that what you meant by leaky, not having rubber gaskets?

That’s frustrating because it’s a good name vacuum and not cheap.
If this vacuum is not a good option for my situation, I’m wondering if wet wiping of areas not normally cleaned would be an option. If so, how could I do this most effectively? Thanks again v

Suggestion by (mod) - Miele HEPA vacuum cleaners compared with other by Jeff May in Cambridge MA

Miele is a brand that, when tested long ago by our friend Jeff May in Cambridge MA was found least leaky.

However we don't know what models Jeff tested nor what are the properties of all of the HEPA vacuum cleaners in Miele's current product line.

by Anonymous

Thank you- on the Miele website they say that all Miele vacuums have what they called a “sealed system” for dust- all models except the C1 classic canister vacuum which is what I bought, so I’m not sure how to proceed.

If you suspect that the model vacuum that I have would work well for this situation, I’ll go for it. Thank you again.

by (mod) - Miele HEPA vacuum models mostly are sealed units

Miele is telling you that for ultra small particles such as fine asbestos fragments the C1 model is not sealed and so is not the best choice.

Using a vacuum that leaks output air into the area where it is being used risks creating a higher level of airborne particulates.

Possible release of asbestos fibers due to flooring removal?

My question relates to a possible release of asbestos fibers due to flooring removal. Just recently learned that 70’s vinyl sheet flooring can contain asbestos. Roughly 7 or 8 years ago, i attempted to remove the vinyl sheet flooring and the backing of it pretty aggressively.

Because of the difficulty I had doing this, I used a self- leveling cement that encapsulated all of the old flooring and tiled over that. If the flooring I attempted to remove had asbestos in it and if fibers were released, would there be any reason to think that any fibers remain in the house?

We keep a neat clean house and by chance bought a vacuum with Hepa filter about a yr ago. Im guessing that any fibers created at that time are long gone now but was curious if I should vacuum the textured paint ceiling or anything with the walls. Thank you On 2019-07-24 by Anonymous -

by (mod) - Dust and fibers that are inorganic, such as asbestos (a mineral) don't disappear over time.

Anon

You ask an excellent question: might my house still be contaminated by prior removal of asbestos-suspect vinyl flooring.

You'll understand that nobody with any sense would pretend to answer that by e-text.

Dust and fibers that are inorganic, such as asbestos (a mineral) don't exactly disappear over time.

A reasonable procedure for you to try is to take one or two representative samples of settled dust from a surface that's likely to contain dust that has settled out of your home's air in the past. Select surfaces not recently cleaned, such as the top of horizontal trim over a doorway.

Send the tape samples to a forensic lab to have the dust screened for meaningful levels of asbestos or other obviously hazardous particles.

Search InspectApedia.com for TAPE & BULK SAMPLING & TESTS for MOLD to find our how-to article.

If the lab reports asbestos contamination in your samples then additional cleaning such as HEPA vacuuming may be in order.

See details at ASBESTOS FLOORING HAZARD LEVEL ASSESSMENT 

by Anonymous

Thanks for your reply. If I chose to not have the testing done and presumed that asbestos fiber had been airborne at that time, would hepa vacuuming suffice of areas not normally cleaned?

Also would me vacuuming my walls and ceiling be going overboard? I realize that it is hard to know from a e-text but appreciate whatever info you have. Thanks again

by (mod) - tests of settled dust may be more representative than an air test for asbestos

I can't know what's needed by way of cleanup, Anon; as we don't know the conditions in the home.

Air tests make little sense in my opinion; not for this case. There is just too much variation - 4 or more orders of magnitude - depending on how the test is conducted. We're looking for evidence that asbestos-laden dust has settled in various areas of the building. Air testing might miss that condition.

Vacuuming using a HEPA vacuum that is not itself leaking should reduce the level of any dust particles of any composition. Vacuuming with a leaky vacuum or non-HEPA only makes dust airborne more than ever.

 

Bad smell when gas furnace comes on - landlord says nothing's wrong

When the forced air gas furnace comes on, odors come into our apartment with the warm air and make me sick because of my chemical sensitivity.

The landlord says nothing is wrong with the furnace because other tenants have no problem but he won't call a heating technician to see what is causing my difficulty.

We are in the basement of a triplex and have had mold issues in August's humid weather. Do you know what might be the solution to this dilemma? On 2015-10-16 by Gloria Aszmies -

Safety advice / warning by (mod) -

Gloria

If the landlord does not agree that there is a heating system issue you can at least

1. Watch out: be sure that you have working carbon monoxide and smoke detectors: if there is flue gas spillage from the heating system at dangerous levels the CO detector may sound.

2. hire an independent investigator or pay for a service call and heating system safety inspection

3. consult with your doctor

Detailed advice for you is at

GAS LP & NATURAL GAS SAFETY HAZARDS 

and

GAS LEAK DETECTION, LP / NG 

7 years of raw sewage going under wet room floor: should we test for pathogens?

We had 7 years of raw sewage going under wet room floor; Should it have been tested for bacteria and sanatized On 2014-12-03 by Anonymous -

Basic advice by (mod) -

Anon I think I would clean, then sanitize, then test to be sure the treatment was adequate.

Detailed advice is

at SEWAGE CONTAMINATION in BUILDINGS 

 

Who do I call about a terrible sewage backup in Aurora Colorado?

As we show in our photo above, this is a horrible sewage backup.

I would like to find out who, if anyone, is able to test my home after a major sewer line break occurred in the crawlspace of our town home?

There was a great deal of raw sewage under the unit for quite some time and the company who did the eradication has been anything but professional or helpful during the process.

They have made false claims regarding steps performed to remove the sewage.

There is not enough time to go into all of their false claims and antics since they were contracted, but let's just say my confidence in their performing the job effectively is equal to the confidence I have that a dog will grow wings and swoop around flying in the sky.

Does that sum it up? I NEED to be sure that it is safe for my Mom and I to return to our home after a Month in a motel.

Who do I call or where can I start to accomplish this task? We are in Aurora, CO. On 2018-08-24 by Shae Hamilton -

Mod reply: How to hire an expert to guide cleanup after a major sewage contamination problem

Shae

You need a local environmental expert or industrial hygienist. You may find someone suitable at the page t

op EXPERTS DIRECTORY

See SEWAGE BACKUP TEST & CLEANUP for an outline of the usual concerns, procedures, cleanup, testing so that you know what to expect.

 

What to do about a strong smell of car exhaust throughout the building and soot settling up by our apartment doors

I live in an apartment building in Mass. with an underground parking garage.

We have the strong smell of car exhaust throughout the building and soot settling up by our apartment doors.

Management refuses to run the exhaust fans at the minimum rate as required by The 1993 BOCA M-160S.6.1 Minimum ventilation.

They are controlled by a CO sensor but it never goes off.

The local inspector, health department environmental protection FD, all will not enforce this so I am about to appeal to the State.

What other codes for an R-2 building are being violated if toxic exhaust is present in the building.

I'm afraid that the minimum fan rate wont be enough to solve the problem. Perhaps the sealing for the garage is inadequate too. - thanks On 2019-03-05 by Jim

Recommendations by (mod) -

Jim

You can easily be stuck in an endless arm-waving debate among people with conflicting interests in a question like the one you pose.

I suggest:

1. obtain some objective data: actual measurements of carbon monoxide or CO, reports of alarm sounding inside your apartment, or if that never happens, accurate CO measurements by an independent, un-biased expert

2. If that data shows a hazard bring that immediately to building management

3. If building management does not respond then you need to ask for help from your health department, based on documented credible data.

If there are nuisance odors beyond the life/safety hazard of engine exhaust and Carbon Monoxide gas then those are issues to discuss with an attorney jointly with a review of the terms of your lease.

Followup by Jim

Thanks Dan,

One of the problems is that the CO levels are below emergency levels , roughly 10-15 ppm in the garage and perhaps 2 ppm in the residential area.

Beyond the nuisance factor it is more an issue of long term health effects of low level CO poisoning and exposure to ultrafine particulate matter. Ill look into getting the air tested for PM since the threshold levels are much lower.

I filed an appeal with the State yesterday to get them to turn on the fans and will probably go to the newspapers as well. Will also look into the legal route as well.

Comments by (mod) -

I think it's generally the case that you don't expect to find any carbon monoxide in an occupied space.

The significance of the hazard level is really one of determining keys to the urgency of response.

In addition to attempting to seal off the source and properly ventilate the area where the sea is being generated you might look at a fresh air heat exchanger for your own occupied space.

Landlord wants contractor to come in and spray for mold

My landlord wants to have contractor come in and speak chemicals and stay clean up with my pregnant wife and children in the home.

No test, no precautions taken or information given and even handed my wife cleaning supplies and said she needed to clean black mold before he did anything to find the cause. I have done allot of research and it all said pretty much the same " landlord is required to give info about health risk involved.

He has said through email "we will not get any kind of letter for plan of action or documentation from anyone he hires" now he is threatened to take 10 day action and told wife and I in front of our kids he regrets signing another year lease and we should leave

This quote obviously made or youngest daughter emotional and all 3 of them stressed out about adult problems they shouldn't deal with as a kid.

We live pay check to pay check and I have been sent in circles from health department to mold remediation outfits and on and on, every one of them say tests are needed with visual black mold, building material effected such as drywall carpet ,

carpet padding, wood or and any porus building product disposed of, and we should not be any near this work without specifically labeled safety resperator gloves eye protection ect.

Much less living here. At this point he is becoming hostile threatening to take action and we only asked him to abide by obligation as a landlord and fix this correctly providing appropriate information and remediation plan

I/me my pregnant wife and 3 kids need help as this guy is putting or health and well being aside knowing we have a girl due at the end of May.

4+years as Tenant's with this guy so we obviously have been bad renters until we bring an issue to light as law requires us.

What do I do for immediate assistance and where do I actually find such a thing? On 2018-02-27 by Rory

Warning by (mod) -

Watch out: Spraying "mold killing" chemicals is never a safe, fully-effective remedy for indoor mold contamination.

The risks include leaving "dead" but toxic materials as well as some live mold, and failure to fix the cause of mold growth in the first place - so the problem simply recurs.

See MOLD SANITIZER, SPRAY, BIOCIDE USE GUIDE where we explain the issues and have some further suggestions.

See our advice also at HEALTH DEPARTMENT HELP for RENTERS 

Asbestos in this fuzzy ceiling tile in Michigan?

Does this ceiling contain asbestos ? On 2018-01-02 by MichiganDude

Advice by (mod) -

No one can say from just your photo whether or not that ceiling contains asbestos; all I see is some blurry greenish material. If there is a dust hazard it would be best to have a sample teated.

Black treatment coating wood in rafters in attic

There are areas on the joists and rafters in attic and eave storage spaces that appear to be "painted" with a black treatment.

There is no odor and it does not come off on my hand when I rub it. House was constructed in the late 50's/early 60's, The rafters and joists are not completely "painted", just certain areas. Any idea what this could be? 2017-06-19 1 by Judith S

Mod reply:

Judith, with no view I can but guess, perhaps a wood preservative/sealant, perhaps over areas of a prior fire or leak. You're welcome to use the page bottom CONTACT link to send photos for further comment.

Toxic carpet, need testing

Toxic carpet, need testing, possible tampering, physical symptoms 760-966-3019

Thank You Ron Lindsay 2017-05-26 by Ronald Lindsay

Mod reply:

Ronald

We are in contact by email.

You will also want to see

CARPET CONTAMINATION TEST PROCEDURE

CARPETING & INDOOR AIR QUALITY

CARPET PADDING ASBESTOS, MOLD, ODORS

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• ENVIRO-SCARE - PUBLIC FEAR CYCLES

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