How Does Asbestos Floor Tile Removal Work in Pennsylvania?
Old vinyl floor tile and the glue under it can contain asbestos. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says you generally can’t tell by looking, unless the material is labeled. So a lab test comes before any tear-out.
HomeGuide, a national cost guide, puts asbestos testing at $250 to $850 on average. It puts asbestos flooring removal at $4 to $15 per square foot. These are market numbers, not our price list.
In Pennsylvania, the Department of Labor and Industry says two credentials are required to conduct asbestos abatement. The individual needs a valid Pennsylvania asbestos certification photo ID license, and the company needs an Asbestos Contractor certification. SF Huling does not do asbestos testing or abatement. If your tile and glue test negative, the job is ordinary tile removal, which we do.
Which old floors might contain asbestos?
EPA lists vinyl floor tiles, the backing on vinyl sheet flooring and adhesives among the places asbestos may be found. A New Jersey Department of Health guide for residents gives more detail. It says asbestos has been used in vinyl floor tiles, generally 9 by 9 inches and occasionally 12 by 12. It also names some mastics used to glue the tiling down.
Size is only a clue. A 12 by 12 tile is not automatically in the clear. The guide says the only way to tell for sure is a laboratory analysis.
Mastic is the glue that holds the tile down. If yours is black, you may hear it called black mastic. Its color does not settle the question either. Ask for the glue to be tested along with the tile.
How much Central Pennsylvania housing was built before 1980?
The New Jersey guide says millions of homes built prior to 1978 contain asbestos materials. Census Bureau figures come in decades, so the closest local cut is housing built before 1980.
| County | Housing units | Built before 1980 | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clinton (Lock Haven) | 18,640 | 12,791 | 68.6% |
| Lycoming (Williamsport) | 52,692 | 37,371 | 70.9% |
| Centre (State College) | 66,023 | 33,253 | 50.4% |
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2023 five-year estimates.
That is about two in three housing units in Clinton County, and about half in Centre County. In Lycoming County, 15,889 units, or 30.2 percent, were built in 1939 or earlier.
Older houses can also hide old tile under newer flooring. Age alone does not prove a floor contains asbestos. It is a reason to test before the floor comes up.
Why does the lab test come before the tear-out?
A tear-out disturbs the floor on purpose. EPA suggests an inspection by a trained and accredited asbestos professional if you are planning to remodel. A remodel can disturb building materials, it notes.
EPA says a trained and accredited asbestos professional should take samples for analysis. It says taking samples yourself is not recommended. Done incorrectly, EPA says, sampling can be more hazardous than leaving the material alone.
New Jersey’s guide recommends a lab accredited by the American Industrial Hygiene Association or the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program. SF Huling does not take samples or test for asbestos.
Until a result is back, the agencies spell out what to leave alone:
- EPA: “Do leave undamaged asbestos-containing materials alone.”
- EPA: “Don’t sand or try to level asbestos flooring or its backing.”
- New Jersey Department of Health, on vinyl floor tiles: “Don’t scrape, sand, or cut these tiles.”
What does Pennsylvania require for asbestos abatement?
The two credentials above come from the Department of Labor and Industry’s asbestos certification FAQ. It says both are required to conduct asbestos abatement in Pennsylvania. The department also says all individuals who perform asbestos removal must work for a contractor who holds its current certification.
The department’s certification page describes a notice rule for friable asbestos-containing material. It applies when more than 3 square or 3 linear feet needs to be removed from inside buildings or structures. A notification form must then be completed and submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The form is due at least five days before the abatement work begins.
Pennsylvania’s Asbestos Occupations Accreditation and Certification Act, Act 194 of 1990, defines what counts as asbestos-containing material. It is any material that contains more than 1 percent asbestos by weight.
How these rules apply to your building is a question for Labor and Industry, DEP or a certified asbestos contractor. This post reports what the agencies publish. It is not legal advice.
What does the federal asbestos rule cover?
EPA’s air toxics regulation for asbestos, known as the asbestos NESHAP, covers commercial, institutional, public and industrial buildings. It also covers residential buildings with five or more dwelling units, per its facility definition in 40 CFR 61.141. The same section classes resilient floor covering with more than 1 percent asbestos as Category I nonfriable asbestos-containing material.
Those definitions say nothing about whether a floor is safe to disturb, in a house or anywhere else. EPA’s advice stands: “If in doubt, treat the material as if it contains asbestos and leave it alone.”
What does asbestos tile removal cost?
HomeGuide titles its asbestos removal page a 2026 guide, and its byline is dated October 2, 2023. Fixr, another national cost guide, last updated its asbestos removal and testing guides in August 2022.
| Line item | Published range | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Asbestos testing | $250 to $850 on average | HomeGuide, 2026 guide |
| Asbestos testing | $250 to $750, national average $500 | Fixr, August 2022 |
| Refurbishment or demolition asbestos survey | $900 to $1,200 | Fixr, August 2022 |
| Asbestos flooring removal | $4 to $15 per sq ft | HomeGuide, 2026 guide |
| Asbestos floor tile removal | $5 to $15 per sq ft | Fixr, August 2022 |
| Encapsulation, if a professional recommends it | $2 to $6 per sq ft | HomeGuide, 2026 guide |
HomeGuide says testing cost varies with the size of the area and the number of samples. Turnaround time moves it too. HomeGuide describes encapsulation as sealing an asbestos floor that is in decent shape, instead of removing it.
These are national market numbers for asbestos work, which SF Huling does not do. We do not encapsulate or coat over asbestos-containing flooring either.
What happens to the floor after the test comes back?
A negative result on the tile and the glue makes the job an ordinary tear-out. The tile and adhesive come up, and debris cleanup is part of the job. For published prices on that work, see what flooring removal costs in Pennsylvania.
A positive result means we step back. For asbestos floor tiles, an asbestos professional may recommend removal, encapsulation, covering or leaving an undamaged floor alone. EPA’s list also says: “Do have removal and major repair done by people trained and qualified in handling asbestos.”
Once a certified asbestos contractor has finished the abatement, the bare slab can be ground and coated. We can grind and prep the slab for a new coating. For a basement, that can mean basement floor epoxy. For a shop or store, it can mean commercial epoxy flooring.
What part of the job does SF Huling do?
Our part starts after a negative test, or after the abatement is finished. We tear out tile that tested negative, along with the adhesive or thinset under it. Carpet and hardwood in the same job fall under floor demolition. Then we grind the slab and coat it, if a coating is the plan.
SF Huling is based in Lock Haven and works the State College and Williamsport corridor. Estimates are free. Call or text (570) 772-2721, or see how our tile removal service works.