Pro-Lab Asbestos Test Kit

The PRO-LAB AS208 is a one-sample asbestos kit with the lab analysis fee and return shipping included. You collect a small piece of one suspect material, mail it in, and the PRO-LAB laboratory runs polarized light microscopy (PLM) on it, with a report expected within about a week. It is aimed at a homeowner with one specific question, most often whether a popcorn ceiling contains asbestos before scraping it. Its main appeal is simplicity: a single purchase covers sampling, shipping and analysis, with nothing extra to pay once the sample leaves your hands.

Specifications

Specification	Details
Model	AS208
Test type	Mail-in bulk sample, PLM lab analysis
Samples covered	One
Lab fee and shipping	Both included
Stated turnaround	Report within about one week
Lab method	Described as EPA-approved; accreditation body not named
Typical use named	Popcorn ceilings and other household materials

PRO-LAB AS208 — one-sample mail-in PLM kit, lab fee and shipping included, report in about a week

How It Compares

A Single-Sample Kit With Everything Paid, but the Slowest Stated Turnaround Here

All nine similar listings are asbestos kits. Four of them are also single-sample kits with analysis included: two from SLGi, one from Seeml Labs and one from Asbestos-Sampling.com. Each of those four states a faster turnaround than this one. SLGi quotes three or five business days after the sample arrives, Seeml two to three days, and Asbestos-Sampling.com 72 hours. PRO-LAB’s “within one week” matches its own two-sample AS108, which is the only other listing on the shelf quoting a week.

The other point of difference is what the listing documents. SLGi names the EPA PLM method it uses (600/R-93), Seeml and Asbestos-Sampling.com reference NVLAP accreditation, and PRO-LAB’s AS108 page mentions an AIHA-accredited lab. This page only says “EPA-approved lab methods” without naming the method or an accreditation. The listing also calls it an “air test kit” in one bullet, but every other detail describes a bulk material sample; it does not sample air.

The listing does not say which tools or protective gear come in the box.

Who It’s For — and Who Should Skip It

This kit suits someone with one material to check and no hard deadline, such as a homeowner planning to remove a textured ceiling next month. One order, one sample, one report.

Skip it if speed matters; any of the four single-sample alternatives above promise results sooner. Skip it too if you have two or more materials to check, because buying several single kits usually costs more than a multi-sample kit. Large projects, damaged material or anything involving a rental or sale disclosure are better handled by a licensed asbestos inspector.

Using It at Home

Popcorn ceilings were common in Colorado houses built through the 1970s and into the early 1980s, and many Front Range ranches and split-levels still have them. Because the texture is often soft and friable, careful sampling matters:

• Turn off the furnace and close the room so air is not moving.
• Lay plastic below the spot, mist the ceiling texture with water, and wear a fitted respirator and gloves.
• Scrape a small amount straight into the sample container, seal it, and dab the spot with paint or sealant.
• Wipe up any debris with a wet towel and bag it.

If asbestos is found, leave the ceiling alone and get abatement quotes before any work. For help choosing what to sample or arranging a full inspection, contact us.

Related Guides

• Best asbestos test kits compared
• How to test for asbestos
• What is in an asbestos kit
• EPA guidance on asbestos

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