Asbestos testing before popcorn ceiling removal

Before anyone scrapes a popcorn ceiling in an older home, a sample of the texture should go to a lab. The result decides who can remove it and what the job costs.

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Which ceilings should be tested?

The EPA banned spray-applied asbestos surfacing material for fireproofing and insulation in 1973, and banned spray-applied surfacing materials for the remaining uses in 1978. Texture sprayed before then is the main concern. The Consumer Product Safety Commission also notes that textured paints and joint patching compounds could contain asbestos until their use was banned in 1977.

If your house was built before the 1990s, test before any work starts. The bans stopped new spraying, and asbestos-containing texture has turned up in ceilings applied through the 1980s. Ceilings are also redone or patched long after a house is built, so the build year alone doesn't settle it.

How testing works

1. A trained professional wets a small area, cuts out a sample of the texture and seals the spot.
2. The sample goes to a lab, which reports whether it contains asbestos and how much.
3. With a negative result, removal goes ahead as an ordinary ceiling job.
4. With a positive result, the texture is removed by a licensed asbestos contractor, or by you under Florida's owner exemption.

The EPA advises against taking samples yourself, and says material in good condition that won't be disturbed can be left alone.

If the test is positive

Florida law treats removal, encapsulation and enclosure of asbestos as abatement, and abatement contractors are licensed through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. The statute exempts an owner removing asbestos from a residential building they occupy that isn't for sale or lease. The owner has to personally apply for and sign the building permit.

The Florida Building Code disclosure that comes with that permit adds two conditions: if you sell or lease within a year of the work, the law presumes you intended to sell or lease when you did it, and you can't hire an unlicensed person to do the removal for you. In Orange County, the Environmental Protection Division asks owners to call it at 407-836-1400 before using the residential exemption.

What testing and abatement cost

Angi's Tampa data puts asbestos testing at $200 to $300 and asbestos removal at $20 to $65 per square foot. Its Orlando page gives a combined figure of $4 to $6 per square foot for testing and removal. Abatement prices vary a lot with the size of the job and the containment it needs, so get a written quote from the licensed contractor.

Condos

In a condominium building, federal asbestos rules can apply to work inside a single unit, and the association is responsible as the owner. See popcorn removal in a Florida condo.

Reviewed by August Heckmann. Last reviewed October 15, 2026. How we check our information.