• Colorado Regulation No. 8 requires homeowners and contractors to get asbestos testing before beginning a renovation that could disturb asbestos materials.
• Skipping environmental testing can lead to project delays and costly fines and penalties.
• A typical home inspection conducted during a home purchase doesn’t qualify as an environmental inspection.
Remodeling your home is a great way to refresh your space, update your interior, or make changes that increase your home’s value and help you enjoy it more. The planning phase is an exciting time to reimagine the best ways to love where you live. Yet, there’s more to planning a home renovation in Colorado than choosing between marble and granite countertops and picking paint colors. The materials you remove require just as much attention as those you install.
Before any demolition begins, it’s crucial to ensure your project is “permit-ready” and complies with state building laws. For most homeowners, this process includes asbestos testing. As a construction staple before 1990, asbestos is found in many Colorado homes. When asbestos-containing building materials are disturbed, they release tiny fibers into the air that can lodge deep in the lungs when inhaled. Such exposure causes severe health problems, including mesothelioma and lung cancer. To mitigate the dangers of handling asbestos-containing materials, Colorado law requires an asbestos test for certain home renovation projects.
The Legal Necessity: Colorado Regulation No. 8
If you’re wondering “Should I test for asbestos?” before starting a home renovation in Colorado, the answer is probably yes. Colorado Regulation No.8 states that an asbestos inspection by a certified asbestos building inspector is required before any renovation or demolition takes place. The law applies to any homeowner or contractor planning to disturb building materials, since asbestos fibers may be present in both older and modern building materials.
What Counts as “Disturbing” Materials?
Regulation 8 defines renovation as “alteration to one or more components in or on a facility” and provides examples, including the replacement or repair of ventilation systems, pipes, ceilings, walls, flooring, and insulating materials. Renovations can also include additions or modifications of existing components where tie-ins, joints, or other intersections may occur.
By these guidelines, disturbing materials can include the removal or modification of any type of building materials. The dangers of asbestos-containing building materials are particularly high in older homes, such as those common in Englewood, Aurora, and Lakewood. Since it’s assumed that all building materials contain asbestos, you will likely need an inspection to determine if asbestos-containing materials are present, and whether removing them will impact trigger levels of asbestos.
The High Cost of Skipping Environmental Testing
Under Regulation No. 8, asbestos testing is required, not optional. Attempting to skip the permitting process is a mistake that could cost you more in the long run than paying for testing. Renovation projects in Colorado require proof that all required permits have been obtained. If work is in progress and you don’t have the required permits, inspectors can halt the project, and property owners can face heavy fines. More importantly, disturbing asbestos can contaminate your home and cause serious damage to your family’s health.
Protecting Your Project Timeline
A proactive asbestos test gives you the information you need to carry out your renovation project safely and within your planned timeline. Skipping the inspection could lead to immediate work stoppages until compliance is proven. Worse yet, if the removal of building materials has begun, you may have to wait until the construction site is no longer contaminated before work can continue.
Environmental Inspections vs. Standard Home Inspections
Understanding the types of inspections you need to be permit-ready for renovation is crucial before beginning the process. Asbestos testing is a specialized type of inspection that must be conducted by a certified asbestos building inspector.
A Standard Inspection Is Not Enough
If you recently purchased your home, you may think the home inspection qualifies. A typical home inspection conducted during a home purchase focuses on structural and mechanical functions, not hazardous material sampling, and therefore doesn’t meet the requirements of Regulation No. 8 for tests conducted by a certified asbestos inspector.
Get Permit-Ready with Breathe Easy Environmental
At Breathe Easy Environmental, our professional team is fully certified to handle asbestos inspections and abatement. We follow stringent procedures to identify asbestos, secure the area, and remove it safely. With more than 30 years of local experience and state-of-the-art equipment, we’re ready to help you handle your Regulation No. 8 responsibilities. Schedule your asbestos test with Breathe Easy Environmental today to ensure your renovation is safe, legal, and ready for permits.
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