I did a bunch of research, and I learned the following: Asbestos was not used much before the 1930s. After the War, the asbestos industry exploded, and was used extensively in building materials. Asbestos was banned in the late 70s after testing revealed medical problems (which can take 20-40 years to develop). This can be used to guess the potential of having asbestos in your house, but one must remember the following: a) there is an outside chance that a pre-1930 house could contain asbestos. b) a post war house may have been made without it c) even after the late 70s ban, some houses may still contain it, since contractors at the time were using up old stock. d) plaster could have been repaired, or replaced by someone, with a product that may contain asbestos, after the initial. The bottom line is that you can't tell the difference by looking at it but it can be tested for asbestos content. Furthermore, there are different forms of asbestos fibre, some requiring different forms of protection. Therefore, if someone wants to renovate and take out plaster and lath, they should contact a lab for testing a small amount. The lab will instruct the individual as far as what precautions procedures may be necessary.
Answer:
Thanks for the information. I really appreciate it but still don't feel much like having a game of Russian roulette so I'll hope to err on the safe side.
