Asbestos Floor Tile: What Sacramento Homeowners Should Know

If your home was built or remodeled before the 1980s, there's a chance the old floor tile or the glue under it contains asbestos. It's not a reason to panic. It's a reason to test before anyone breaks it up.

Why It Matters

Asbestos was mixed into many vinyl floor tiles and adhesives for durability. Intact tile sitting quietly under another floor is generally lower risk. The danger comes when it's broken, sanded, scraped or ground, because that can release fibers you breathe in.

Warning Signs

• Age. Tile installed before about 1980 is the most suspect.
• 9 inch by 9 inch tiles. That size is a classic red flag. Older 12 by 12 tiles can contain it too.
• Black mastic. Thick black, tar like adhesive under tile or VCT.
• Old sheet vinyl. Some older sheet vinyl has a backing that can contain asbestos.
• Hidden layers. Old tile often sits under carpet or newer vinyl.

None of these prove anything. They're reasons to test.

You Can't Tell by Looking

Only a lab test confirms asbestos. A trained inspector takes a small sample and sends it to an accredited lab. Results often come back within days.

Before you take any sample yourself, check with your local building department and air district. Some areas have rules about who can sample and how.

What Not to Do

• Don't sand, grind or scrape suspect tile or black mastic.
• Don't break it up with a hammer.
• Don't dry sweep debris from suspect material.
• Don't hire a crew that says testing isn't necessary.

What Happens If It Tests Positive

A licensed abatement contractor removes it under the rules for asbestos material. After clearance, normal floor removal and prep can continue.

At On Point Flooring, we don't do abatement. If testing comes back positive, we pause and coordinate with a licensed abatement contractor, then handle removal and prep after clearance. That keeps your project moving without cutting corners.

What Happens If It Tests Negative

Then it's a normal removal. VCT, tile and glue come up, the slab gets ground and patched, and your new floor goes down. See our thinset and glue removal and commercial floor removal pages for how that works.

Planning a Remodel in an Older Home?

Bring it up when we come out to price the job. We'll look at what's on the floor, tell you if anything looks suspect and plan around testing so your schedule doesn't stall.

Get your floor removal price or call (916) 542-3333. We price every job in your home, and the price we quote is the price you pay.