Does roofing felt often contain asbestos?

Asbestos can occur in old roofing felt and old bitumen materials. How common it is depends on the age, type and manufacturer of the material, so only an analysis gives a definitive answer.

Can a roofing felt sample be sent by post?

Yes. A small piece of roofing felt or bitumen membrane can be packed in a sealed bag and sent to the laboratory according to the instructions.

How much does an asbestos analysis of roofing felt cost?

An asbestos analysis of roofing felt costs €39.90 + VAT per sample at Onelab. The result is emailed on the day the sample arrives.

Roofing felt and bitumen

Asbestos in roofing felt – analysis €39.90

Old roofing felt, bitumen membranes and pitch-based materials may contain asbestos. The material should be checked in a laboratory before demolition or a roof renovation.

Order an analysis – €39.90 + VAT See the sampling instructions

Short answer

Can roofing felt contain asbestos?

Yes. Old roofing felt, bitumen membrane, pitch or the adhesive layer of a roofing material may contain asbestos. The testing should be done before the felt is torn up or sanded. Onelab analyses a roofing felt sample for €39.90 + VAT and delivers the result on the day the sample arrives.

Roofing felt, pitch, bitumen

€39.90 + VAT per sample

Result on the day of arrival

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Identifying the material

What do you need to know about this material?

Where can asbestos in roofing felt be found?

Asbestos may be present in the old felt layer, in bitumen membranes, on pitch-based surfaces, in the seals around roof penetrations or in the roof’s old underlay materials.

Why must roofing material be tested before removal?

Stripping, tearing and cutting roofing felt can break the material and spread dust. If the material contains asbestos, the removal must be planned properly and carried out with the right protective measures.

How is a sample taken from roofing felt?

Take a small, representative piece of felt or bitumen membrane from a spot where the structure is visible. If the roof has several layers, label the sample clearly or send the different layers as separate samples.

Sampling

How to take a representative sample

Cut a small piece of felt that shows the layer to be examined.
Pack sticky bitumen material tightly so that it does not adhere to the outer packaging.
Note whether the sample is roofing felt, bitumen membrane or pitch.

If the material crumbles, gives off dust or sits somewhere awkward, do not force it loose. Ask a professional how to take the sample safely if you are unsure.

Asbestos sample by post Asbestos investigation Price of an asbestos analysis

Frequently asked questions