The Risk of Asbestos in Popcorn Ceilings

Could the ceiling in your building or home be making you sick? Everyday living spaces can pose health risks when those spaces contain asbestos materials. ⁽¹⁾ Learn more about how a popcorn ceiling in your building could put your life at risk.

Introduction

Asbestos was used in sprays applied to ceilings and tiles to give them a textured appearance. Known as popcorn ceilings, they can still be found in older government buildings, schools, apartments, and private homes.

The use of asbestos, a group of natural mineral fibers, has been virtually banned in the United States by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ⁽²⁾ Asbestos is a known carcinogen causing asbestosis, mesothelioma, and cancers of the lungs, larynx, and ovaries. ⁽³⁾

The asbestos ban prohibited, “the manufacture, import, processing, and distribution of some asbestos-containing products. EPA also banned new uses of asbestos which prevent new asbestos products from entering the marketplace after August 25, 1989.” ⁽⁴⁾ Under EPA rules, a particular type of asbestos — chrysotile — could still be imported, processed, and distributed in the U.S. That changed in March 2024, when EPA finalized its rule prohibiting the use of chrysotile. ⁽⁵⁾

Health Risks from a Popcorn Ceiling

Although these bans protect consumers in general, they do little to protect people who live in older homes already constructed with popcorn ceilings that contain asbestos. One study revealed, “Exposure to asbestos and the probability of developing lung disease is high in individuals who lived with these types of ceilings in their home.” ⁽⁶⁾

You can hold the product manufacturers for their failure to warn of asbestos used in their products if you suffer exposure to asbestos on a property and then later become sick. This is especially true if the building involved suffered damage or deterioration.

“Asbestos exposure and frequency of disease is even higher in an apartment suffering from flooding, maintenance, and/or multiple structural impacts,” say researchers. ⁽⁷⁾

Identifying Asbestos in Popcorn Ceilings

Popcorn ceilings are a type of textured ceiling material. They are spray-on or paint on treatments with a powdery white appearance and light color. Many have small dot indentations. They often feel rough and bumpy. ⁽⁸⁾

These treatments were popular because of their “bright, white appearance, noise reduction qualities, and ability to hide imperfections.” ⁽⁹⁾ Textured ceiling treatments include popcorn, stucco or cottage cheese, and acoustic materials. They were common between 1950 and 1980. ⁽¹⁰⁾

Asbestos in a building becomes harmful when the asbestos is disturbed and releases the fibers into the air. ⁽¹¹⁾ The disturbance of the fibers can occur during construction, demolition, renovation, and after damage — such as from natural weather events — or simply from deterioration due to age. For example, if the material is loose, crumbly, or water damaged. ^{(12) (13) (14)}

Once inhaled, asbestos fibers increase the risk of lung cancer and mesothelioma. There is a strong link between the number of fibers inhaled and the increased risk of disease. ⁽¹⁵⁾

How to Test for Asbestos in Popcorn Ceilings

Testing for asbestos in popcorn ceilings is often a matter of checking the age of the building and the installation date of the ceilings. Gathering this data is critical and one of the best indicators. If the building was constructed — or the ceilings were installed — prior to 1980, you need to consider testing. ⁽¹⁶⁾

Due to the extreme risks of exposure to asbestos, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) highly recommends having a professional both test for and remove any asbestos materials from your property. ⁽¹⁷⁾ Health and safety concerns far outweigh the costs associated with having a trained professional to do the work.

Testing for Asbestos

Professional testing for asbestos involves taking a sample to send to a laboratory for examination. When taking a sample, a professional takes cautionary steps, including: ⁽¹⁸⁾

• Evacuating the room or space before work begins.
• Wearing protective clothing and equipment.
• Shutting down heating and cooling systems to minimize the spread of any asbestos fibers.
• Wetting the sample area with a water and detergent mist to help keep fibers from floating into the air.
• Cutting a sample from the entire depth of the suspected area and placing it into a clean, resealable container, and sealing it.
• Labeling correctly the sample with a number, date, time, and location where it was collected.
• Patching correctly the sample area, to prevent any further release of asbestos fibers.
• Disposing of the plastic sheet, and asbestos materials, according to state and local regulations.
• Sending the sample to a laboratory accredited by the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology to perform asbestos analysis. 

What To Do if Asbestos Is Detected

If professional testing indicates that asbestos has been detected on the property, consider three things:

1. Where the asbestos is located.
2. What condition it is in.
3. How likely it is to be disturbed.

“If the asbestos material is in good shape and will not be disturbed, do nothing!,” advises the CPSC. ⁽¹⁹⁾ Otherwise, contact a licensed abatement professional.

Is It Safe to Live With Asbestos Popcorn Ceilings?

Material containing asbestos that is in good condition does not release fibers into the air, unless it is disturbed, says the CPSC. ⁽²⁰⁾

“Check material regularly if you suspect it may contain asbestos. Don’t touch it, but look for signs of wear or damage such as tears, abrasions, or water damage. Damaged material may release asbestos fibers. This is particularly true if you often disturb it by hitting, rubbing, or handling it, or if it is exposed to extreme vibration or air flow.” ⁽²¹⁾

Also limit access to the room where asbestos has been found, says the CPSC. ⁽²²⁾

Can You Paint Over a Popcorn Ceiling With Asbestos?

The short answer is no, it is not safe to paint over a popcorn ceiling with asbestos.

Researchers categorize asbestos in two ways. It can be friable, meaning “a material can be reduced to powder by hand pressure, during which fibers are released.” Or it can be non-friable, meaning it “must be mechanically impacted (power tools such as sanders, drills, chippers, saws, etc.) to release fibers.” ⁽²³⁾

According to researchers, “Asbestos containing textured ceiling is a friable material, making it susceptible to fiber release during any disturbance.” ⁽²⁴⁾

Legal Considerations and Rights

As an owner or tenant with asbestos on your property, what legal rights and considerations do you have? They vary, depending on your state.

Asbestos fibers detected in a building’s air qualifies as a health hazard and an unsafe environment. ⁽²⁵⁾

However, merely being exposed to asbestos is not enough to file a legal claim. There must be a connection between your exposure and getting sick. A medical diagnosis is required.

Tenant Rights

Tenants typically have the legal right to live in safe, well-maintained buildings, with sanitary and healthy environments. If landlords fail to maintain the safety of their buildings, legal action may be brought against them. This includes making repairs, especially for health hazards or violations of laws, or codes.

If you were diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis, it could be due to your popcorn ceilings. If so, then the manufacturers of the products used may be responsible for any asbestos related health issues.

Homeowners

If your home was built using asbestos-containing products, you may have a legal case against the product manufacturers if you get sick with an asbestos related disease. You should begin by contacting a licensed asbestos abatement contractor if asbestos is suspected or found on your property.

An abatement professional has been trained to correctly remove asbestos. With a professional, you can expect the abatement of your property to conform to all legal requirements.

Considerations for Improper Abatement

If you suspect that the asbestos abatement of your property was conducted improperly, there are things you need to consider before taking further steps. Questions to consider if you suspect improper abatement occurred include: ⁽²⁶⁾

• What kind of asbestos material was abated? The type, condition, and quantity of material abated are key factors. The larger the quantity, the greater the risk for fiber release.
• Where did the abatement occur? If it occurred in a frequently visited or occupied area there is more cause for concern. That concern is greater if it was near an air handling system that could spread fibers throughout the building.
• What has occurred in the building since the abatement? If the area where the abatement occurred was properly remediated, the levels of asbestos fibers may be less.

Weitz & Luxenberg

When it is time to take further action, seek knowledgeable asbestos counsel, like the attorneys at Weitz & Luxenberg.

W&L’s skilled asbestos lawyers can improve your chances of getting a favorable outcome in your asbestos exposure legal case. We do this by helping you recover all the compensation you may be eligible for.

W&L attorneys have nearly 40 years of experience and success in asbestos litigations. We are ready to hold negligent parties accountable for the harm done to you by asbestos-containing products including popcorn ceilings. 

We pride ourselves on guiding clients through the intricacies of the legal process with understanding, compassion, and empathy for what you have endured.

Our many successes underscore our commitment. We have helped clients recover billions of dollars in compensation.

Contact us now at (833) 977-3437 for a free consultation regarding your asbestos case, or fill out the form on this page. We look forward to helping you.