I've reached out to a local company to test my popcorn ceiling for asbestos and I'm just waiting for that to be scheduled. I'm curious about the risks of removing the ceiling myself, even if I'm careful to wet scrape it and cover everything in plastic. I plan to wear a mask and goggles, and I've thought about wearing protective clothing too. But if the tests come back positive for asbestos, would I be making a huge mistake trying to tackle this on my own? I'm trying to save some money but I want to be smart about it, especially since I won't be living in the house for the next month while I make some updates. Thanks in advance!
3 Answers
I actually did something similar, and I used a P100 mask, goggles, and a Tyvek suit. It's essential to spray the ceiling with a garden sprayer to keep it moist while scraping. After that, I used a metal putty blade to scrape it off. A HEPA filter for your shop vac is crucial to clean up any mess afterward. Just stay safe, keep it wet, and you should be okay. To minimize the risk, quadruple bag the popcorn once you’re done removing it.
You really have two main routes: either you can cover the ceiling with drywall or scrape it all off and then add drywall. I tried scraping and found it was a total mess, even without asbestos. The best advice I can give would be to either encapsulate it or put a new ceiling in entirely, especially if it's not contaminated. If there's no asbestos, just go for a fresh install; it's probably less hassle in the long run!
Encapsulating is definitely smoother. Trust me, scraping made such a mess, and I ended up needing even more repairs afterwards!
The most significant risk with this job is inhaling any fibers. If you decide to do it yourself, make sure you have proper N100 filtration, or even better, consider positive pressure ventilation. It's a tough job, but I found it satisfying in the end, even with the complications. Just make sure to have a good vacuum for cleanup to avoid dust settling everywhere after.
Also, don’t forget to cover all vents and turn your HVAC system off to avoid any asbestos getting into it. Adding some dish soap to your sprayer helps with the removal too, making it a bit easier. And remember, as you scrape, catch the popcorn in a tray before bagging it. It’ll save you a lot of cleanup hassle!