You can't see asbestos in a material, and you can't identify it by age, color, or texture. Testing is how you know — and a test is only worth anything if the sample was collected properly, tracked properly, and analyzed by the right method.
Clear Advisory collects samples on site during a survey and sends them to an accredited lab under chain of custody. Results typically return in about 24 hours.
PLM vs. TEM — Plainly
Two lab methods do most of the work, and they are not interchangeable:
PLM (polarized light microscopy) is the standard first analysis. Under the microscope, an analyst identifies the fibers in the material and estimates the percentage of asbestos. A material with more than 1% asbestos is regulated as asbestos-containing material. PLM works well for most friable materials — insulation, plaster, joint compound, and similar.
TEM (transmission electron microscopy) is the confirmation method for materials PLM can miss. Non-friable organically bound materials — vinyl floor tile, mastic, roofing — can hold very fine fibers bound in the material that PLM doesn't reliably detect. TEM can see those much smaller fibers. In New York, a PLM negative on this class of material isn't the final word; TEM is how it's confirmed.
Using the right method for the material is the difference between a dependable negative and a false one.
From Sample to Result
- Collection on site. A certified inspector identifies the suspect materials your project will disturb, wets the spot to keep fibers down, removes a small sample, and patches the location. Different materials — and different layers, like tile vs. its mastic — are sampled separately.
- Sealed, labeled, logged. Each sample goes into its own sealed container, labeled with the material and location, and recorded on a chain-of-custody form that follows it to the lab. This is what ties a result on a lab page back to a specific wall, floor, or pipe.
- Accredited lab analysis. PLM first; TEM where the material requires it.
- Results in about 24 hours. Each result states the material, its location, and whether asbestos was detected and at what percentage. Results roll into a written report that supports your contractor's plan, your board package, and your ACP-5 filing.
Pricing
Testing is priced per sample, as part of a survey visit:
- Site visit: from $750
- Lab analysis (PLM and TEM where required): priced per sample — you'll know the sample count before the lab work runs.
Because each material and layer is sampled separately, the total depends on how many distinct materials your project will disturb — you'll know the sample count before the lab work runs. Most homes land between $900 and $1,500 for the full survey, testing, and report.
FAQ
How long do results take? Typically about 24 hours from lab receipt.
Can I collect a sample myself and mail it in? For a filing, no. Results that support a DOB application or an ACP-5 need a sample collected by a certified inspector with a documented chain of custody. A mail-in result can't be tied to a location in a way a reviewer, board, or contractor can rely on.
How many samples does my project need? One per distinct suspect material your work will disturb — and layers count separately. A bathroom floor, for example, might be tile, mastic, and underlayment: three samples. We'll give you the count after the walk-through, before costs are committed.
What does "more than 1%" mean? Under the regulations, a material containing more than 1% asbestos is asbestos-containing material and is handled under the asbestos rules. Results below that threshold are reported as negative for that material.
My floor tile tested negative by PLM. Am I clear? Not necessarily. Floor tile and mastic are exactly the materials where PLM can miss fine fibers; TEM confirmation is the standard for a dependable negative on them. If your tile was only run by PLM, ask whether TEM was done.
Do you test in my borough? Yes — all five boroughs. Clear Advisory's team holds New York State DOL certifications as Asbestos Inspector, Asbestos Contractor, and Asbestos Supervisor, along with NYC DOB Site Safety Supervisor credentials.
Get a Result You Can Rely On
Call (877) 586-7172 or email info@clearadvisory.org to schedule testing.
Clear Advisory · 100 Jay St, Brooklyn, NY 11201 · (877) 586-7172