Chapel Hill and Carrboro have one of the older, denser residential housing stocks in the Triangle. A meaningful share of the rental inventory near campus and along Franklin, Rosemary, and Estes was built well before the 1989 phase-down of asbestos-containing building materials — which means popcorn ceilings, vinyl floor tile, plaster systems, and pipe wrap are all in play.
Asbestos testing is not the inspection and not the removal. It’s the laboratory analysis of physical samples — bulk material under polarized light, airborne fibers under phase contrast or transmission electron microscopy — performed by an AIHA- or NVLAP-accredited lab and documented in a certified written report.
We sample to AHERA, ship under written chain of custody, and pair every result with a plain-language interpretation that a homeowner, landlord, or buyer can act on without needing a follow-up call to translate.
Three failure modes show up regularly on Chapel Hill rentals and pre-renovation projects when testing is rushed, skipped, or done by an unaccredited party.
Landlord-compliance documentation has to come from an accredited inspector, not a property owner with a pocket knife and a Ziploc bag. A self-collected sample fails its only purpose — protecting the landlord if a tenant raises an exposure question later.
One non-detect on a popcorn ceiling does not mean the rest of the house is clean. Drywall mud, vinyl tile, mastic, plaster, pipe wrap, and siding are independent homogeneous areas — each with its own sampling requirement under AHERA.
Reoccupying a space after removal without an independent third-party clearance test violates NC 15A NCAC 19C. The clearance is what proves the work was effective — and what protects everyone if exposure questions surface years later.
We sample to AHERA every time, ship under written chain of custody, and use only AIHA- or NVLAP-accredited labs. The deliverable is a report you can hand to a permit reviewer, a buyer, or a tenant attorney without amendment.
We meet on site, define homogeneous areas under AHERA logic, identify suspect materials room by room, and confirm the regulatory question — pre-renovation, pre-demo, due diligence, landlord compliance, or post-abatement clearance.
Bulk samples are wetted, double-bagged, photographed in place, and entered into a written chain-of-custody log. Air samples are collected on calibrated personal pumps with mixed-cellulose-ester filters at NIOSH-validated flow rates and volumes.
Samples ship under sealed chain of custody to an AIHA- or NVLAP-accredited laboratory. PLM identifies asbestos in bulk material; PCM counts airborne fibers; TEM provides definitive electron-microscopy identification when method, threshold, or stakes require it.
Every project closes with a signed report — sample IDs mapped to a floor plan, methods cited, lab accreditation numbers, percent or fiber counts, analyst signature, full chain of custody attached, and a plain-language interpretation of what to do next.
Real reviews from homeowners and contractors across North Carolina.
“We bought a new to us 1964 home last December and to no surprise, we had asbestos popcorn ceilings. We decided to remove the ceilings altogether versus just scraping them. To complicate things even more, we had a plumbing leak in a room that had previously been encapsulated, so we had to deal with insurance to cover a portion of the asbestos removal. Rusty and the whole team at Remtech were such a help from the first moment we spoke! They were responsive, flexible, and knowledgeable. They helped us get insurance what they needed. They even worked with us to do the removal work while we had to be out of town. Asbestos removal and dealing with insurance, especially as we were brand new to the home, was incredibly stressful. Working with Remtech was the opposite – they were helpful and easy to work with that I barely had to think about the work being done. It was a nice break for my brain! They also did a great job. We came home to a CLEAN house with no ceilings! While I’m hoping we never have to go through such a big project again, I know we’d be able to handle it because we can rely on Remtech.”
“Very fast, professional and responsive. Did floor asbestos abatement for our house for a very reasonable price and they were very quick to schedule to keep us within our very close timeline.”
“As a General Contractor specializing in Bathroom & Kitchen remodel, we complete in excess of 250 bathroom upgrades each year. Regardless of our remodeling and construction experience and capabilities, when it comes to addressing the unforeseen hazardous and environmental conditions posed by mold, asbestos, and lead paints, we have a responsibility to our customers to partner with the best abatement specialist possible, and as proficient in abatement as we are kitchen and bath remodeling. Remtech has proven to be that reliable and trusted partner for both our customers and company. We highly recommend the Remtech Team.”
“A few months ago I used Remtech Envir. to remove asbestos from the ceiling of my home, and to this day I’m still amazed with their service that I’ve been meaning to write a review, and today’s the day! The whole process went through so smoothly because of their professionalism, punctuality and care. At the end of each day I received an update from Rusty who was the project manager which was super helpful, and because of their expertise I knew the job was getting done correctly. There was a lot of asbestos to remove, and they showed up and delivered hard work to get it done within the time frame that was initially discussed. So grateful we used their services! I would highly recommend!”
“Our church basement flooded and the old asbestos tiles curled up and had to be removed. Jeff Brewer came over to look at our problem, explained what they would do. He furnished a quote very quickly with a fair price. After checking with two other companies, Jeff’s instructive conversation, ease of manner, willingness to help and a fair price won him the work. As a former contractor, I know how backed up companies can be in their schedule. He told us of a target time about 4-6 weeks off, which was fine. He called a couple of weeks later and had an opening in his schedule and wanted to come earlier. That was great. Their staff arrived on time and delivered a very quick, professional and clean project. This allowed us to get our Fellowship Hall floored and back in operating condition prior to the start of the school year. It is a pleasure to work with a company that communicates well and delivers their service in a superior way.”
“I have spoken with Bryan on many occasions about growth strategy. He has always been open to communicate. I look forward to future conversations.”
“Remtech came in and did a removal of asbestos when our home developed a leak and the sheetrock ceiling had to be removed. Got right to work, kept us informed every step of the way and did a great job of cleaning up. Would use them again in a heart beat!!”
“The cost was higher than expected, so I did not move forward at that time. I will use Remtech when I am ready to have the work done. They are very professional and take the time to answer any questions. The rep arrived on time, explained the process and provided the estimate. A very positive experience.”
A positive PLM is the start of an inspection scope and an abatement plan. Older Chapel Hill rental stock with disturbed asbestos materials often carries a moisture or mold issue in the same envelope.
Five questions cover most of the calls that come in from Chapel Hill homeowners, landlords, and contractors. The short answers are below; the long version is a phone call.
For each pre-1989 rental, the defensive baseline is an accredited inspection that includes bulk sampling of every suspect homogeneous area — popcorn ceilings, drywall mud, vinyl tile, pipe wrap, plaster systems. Negative results document that no asbestos-containing material is present; positive results trigger an operations-and-maintenance plan or removal. The written report is what protects the landlord if a tenant later raises an exposure or habitability concern.
PLM is for solid bulk samples and identifies asbestos by morphology and optical properties down to about 1% by weight. PCM is for air samples and counts fibers but cannot tell asbestos from other fibers, so it’s used for OSHA exposure work and general clearance. TEM is the definitive electron-microscopy method — used for AHERA clearance after abatement and for confirming bulk samples below the PLM detection limit.
Standard PLM bulk turnaround is three to five business days. Same-day, 24-hour, and one-hour rush options are available at premium rates and useful for closings, permit deadlines, and clearance work. Air PCM is generally same-day to next-day. TEM runs three to seven days standard. Rental compliance work and pre-renovation surveys rarely need rush if scoped a week in advance.
It proves that, at the moment of sampling, airborne asbestos fiber concentrations inside the previously contained work area are below the regulatory threshold — 0.01 fibers per cubic centimeter for PCM, or 70 structures per square millimeter for TEM under AHERA. The clearance must be performed by an independent third party, not the abatement contractor or the property owner. It is required by NC 15A NCAC 19C before reoccupancy.
You can, but the result has limited use. Without an accredited inspector and a documented chain of custody, the result fails to satisfy NESHAP, AHERA, NC DHHS, lender, and insurer requirements. The act of dry-collecting a popcorn ceiling sample also tends to spike indoor fiber concentrations into the thousands of fibers per cubic centimeter — contaminating the home you were trying to protect.
Tell us what you’re working on — pre-renovation, landlord compliance, due diligence, or post-abatement clearance — and we’ll scope the right test the first time.
A short note about the building, the year of construction, and the question you need answered is usually all we need to scope the right test and quote it accurately.