Nate Nagel wrote:
Marissa Taylor wrote:
I'm concerned that my 12" x 12" white ceiling tiles may contain
asbestos. They have holes and small etchings in them. However,
many fiber based, non-asbestos tiles may look similar and hopefully
that is what I have. Short of sending one to a lab, are there any
visual differences between harmless fiber ceiling tiles and older ones
made of asbestos?

I need to remove one as a pipe appears to be leaking above it, but if
asbestos is involved, it will be a whole other project!

Here is what they look like:

Picture of the Tiles:
http://images46.fotki.com/v1506/phot...MG_2509-vi.jpg


Picture of a cut tile, where a fixture was hung. Note the almost
cardboard brown/orange color of the interior of the tile:

http://images50.fotki.com/v1513/phot...MG_2511-vi.jpg



Marissa,

I haven't a clue whether those tiles have asbestos or not but can tell
you that if they were installed after 1980 they should be OK unless
someone used old stock.

that said, I'm not nuts about the light in your second picture... what's
the deal there? Am concerned about that installation, why is there tile
around there and not a proper box?

I have no idea, as we discovered that after we had purchased the house.
Originally the lamp fixture covered the area now visible. It's been
that way a long time. I believe there is a box mounted to the joists
and the support post now protrudes through the ceiling tiles. After I
get this other issue resolved, we'll work on the light.

Unfortunately I have no idea when that ceiling was installed, but the
house was constructed in the 1960s.