This is a trick question, to most people’s surprise, it really hasn’t been fully banned in the United States, however, several products were banned under the Asbestos Ban and Phase-Out Rule (ABPR) on July 12, 1989, by the EPA. The final Asbestos Partial Ban was in April 2019. Follow this link for a full list.

You cannot tell if your house has asbestos just by looking, you will need to have each homogeneous material in your home sampled and analyzed by a laboratory.

RegasGroup recommends testing your home for asbestos before any home improvements or repairs regardless of the year it was built, however, industry standard says that if your home was built in 1986 or older, you should have your home tested for asbestos. NOTE: Some Air Quality Management Districts require testing for homes regardless of what year they are built. Please visit our resources page for more information..

If the asbestos is in good condition and not disturbed there should be no direct hazard.

Asbestos becomes a risk when it is inhaled into the lungs. This can happen when asbestos containing materials are crushed or pulverized releasing fibers in the air. The risk of damage is increased by several factors including how much and how long you were exposed for, the age and smoking habits of the person, how long since you were exposed and the type of fibers you inhaled. Long term exposure gives the highest risk of developing health issues.

You will need to test each painted surface in your home to verify whether the paint contains lead or not. There are a few options to test for lead paint; you can use test kits purchased from your local hardware store, send a paint sample to a lab or have a company like RegasGroup come and test the areas for you.

Lead Paint becomes dangerous when it is in an unstable condition that can produce lead dust and/or paint chips. These can be easily ingested and cause major health issues.

Yes, Lead Based Paint (LBP) was banned in 1978 for residential use, however, LBP is still used in applications outside of residential use.

Lowered IQ • Damage to the brain and nervous system • Learning and behavioral difficulties • Slowed growth • Hearing problems • Headaches

Reproductive problems (in both men and women) • High blood pressure and hypertension • Nerve disorders • Memory and concentration problems • Muscle and joint pain