The Step That Turns "They Said It's Done" Into "It's Done"
Abatement ends with a bag count and a broom-clean floor. What it should end with is evidence. Air monitoring and clearance testing provide that evidence: measured air samples, analyzed at an accredited laboratory, confirming fibre levels in the work area are below acceptable limits before anyone removes the containment and moves back in.
We act strictly as independent testers. We don't perform abatement, we aren't affiliated with abatement contractors, and our only deliverable is the truth about your air. That independence is precisely what makes our clearance letters useful — to municipalities releasing demolition permits, to project managers signing off on re-occupancy, and to homeowners who want to sleep well after a stressful removal.
When You Need Air Testing
- Post-abatement clearance — the final check before containment comes down and the space is re-occupied
- During abatement — monitoring outside containment to verify the enclosure is holding
- Occupied buildings with known asbestos — reassurance sampling in homes, offices and stratas managing asbestos in place
- After a suspected disturbance — a contractor cut into the wrong ceiling, a DIY project went sideways, storm or fire damage exposed old materials
- Renovation hand-back — proving to returning trades that the site is safe
How It Works
- Placement. Calibrated sampling pumps are positioned in and around the work area, drawing a measured air volume through filter cassettes.
- Visual inspection. For clearances, sampling is paired with a close visual inspection of the abated area — dust and debris fail the space before the lab does.
- Accredited analysis. Filters are analyzed by PCM, with TEM available where regulation or peace of mind demands specific fibre identification.
- Clearance letter. You receive the air results and a written clearance suitable for permits, project files, insurers and tenants.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why shouldn’t the abatement contractor do their own clearance testing?
Because they’d be grading their own homework. Independent clearance testing means the party confirming the air is clean has no financial stake in the abatement being declared finished. Many municipalities, project managers and informed homeowners insist on third-party clearance for exactly this reason.
What is a clearance letter?
A written statement, backed by air sample results, that a work area has been visually inspected and air-tested following abatement and is fit for re-occupancy. It’s the document that lets your renovation crew return, your demolition permit proceed, or your tenants move back in.
How is the air actually tested?
Calibrated pumps draw a measured volume of air through filter cassettes placed in the work area. Filters are analyzed by phase contrast microscopy (PCM) for fibre concentrations, with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) available when fibre identification is required.
How long does clearance take?
Air sampling itself runs a few hours depending on the required air volume. Combined with lab analysis, most clearances complete within one business day of the abatement contractor finishing — and rush results can compress that further.