Asbestos Testing, Surveys & Air Monitoring in NY and Vermont
ClearVU is an independent asbestos consulting firm handling surveys and contamination assessments, project design and variance petitions, project monitoring, air sampling and clearances. We don't do abatement, so our findings stay independent of whoever does the removal.
Asbestos credentials on file
- NYS DOL Asbestos Handling License (Restricted)
- 282890
- exp. 01/31/2027
- NYS DOL asbestos certifications
- Inspector, management planner, project monitor, project designer, air sampling technician, supervisor. Held by ClearVU personnel.
- VT Asbestos Consulting Company
- Asb-Co-Con-000089
- ClearVU Inspections LLC · exp. 3/1/2027
Bulk samples analyzed by independent, accredited labs.
In New York, the building owner must have a NYS-certified asbestos inspector survey the affected areas before any renovation, remodeling, repair or demolition (Industrial Code Rule 56). NYS DOL requires an asbestos survey before work disturbs building materials, regardless of construction date. Before a demolition, the survey goes to the municipality issuing the permit and to the state Asbestos Control Bureau. In Vermont, the owner must hire a Vermont-licensed asbestos inspector before renovating, demolishing or cleaning up after a fire. We survey in both states: ClearVU Inspections in New York, ClearVU Inspections LLC in Vermont. We also handle project monitoring, clearance air sampling and variances.
If DOL has already posted a stop-work order on your project, see what happens next and how we can help.
Asbestos services
Pick the job you are planning. Each page explains what the rules require and what you get from us.
Pre-renovation and pre-demolition surveys
Know what is in the building before you renovate or demolish, with a report the building department can accept.
Asbestos surveys
Third-party clearance air sampling
Independent clearance air sampling after the contractor finishes.
Clearance air sampling
Project monitoring
Independent on-site monitoring and documentation that holds up to review.
Project monitoring- DesignProject design by a DOL-certified Project Designer
- PetitionSite-specific variance petition, filed through MPWR
- TermA site-specific variance is valid for one year
NY DOL variances and project design
When a job cannot follow Code Rule 56 as written, we design the project and prepare the variance petition.
Variances and project designTreat it
as ACM.
Vermiculite attic insulation testing and clearance
Vermiculite attic insulation is treated as asbestos-containing. New York does not recognize a bulk test that can prove it asbestos-free, and Vermont tells owners to treat it as asbestos. We sample it under our asbestos licenses and perform clearance testing after a licensed contractor removes it.
Need lead paint, PCBs, mercury, and refrigerants inventoried on the same pre-demolition job? See hazmat and PCB surveys.
Request vermiculite testing →AHERA school inspections and reinspections
The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA, 40 CFR Part 763, Subpart E) applies to public and non-profit private elementary and secondary school buildings. It calls for asbestos inspections, management plans, and reinspections every three years.
ClearVU performs AHERA inspections, three-year reinspections, and management-plan updates for schools in New York and Vermont. Those inspections are performed by NYS DOL-certified asbestos inspectors and management planners on our team.
New York license: NYS DOL Asbestos Handling License 282890.
Request an AHERA inspection →Credentials for AHERA work
- NYS DOL asbestos certifications
- Inspector, management planner. Held by ClearVU personnel.
- Vermont asbestos certifications
- Inspector/management planner. Held by ClearVU personnel.
- NYS DOL Asbestos Handling License (Restricted)
- 282890
- exp. 01/31/2027
New York and Vermont requirements
The same firm surveys in both states. ClearVU Inspections LLC is the holder on the Vermont consulting-company license. New York license: NYS DOL Asbestos Handling License 282890.
| New York | Vermont | |
|---|---|---|
| Who must inspect | A NYS-certified asbestos inspector, before renovation, repair, or demolition (DOL P231). | A Vermont-licensed asbestos inspector before renovation, demolition, or fire cleanup. |
| Notice | Before demolition, the survey goes to the municipality and the Asbestos Control Bureau. | Demolition needs 10 working days' notice to the Vermont Department of Health. |
| Some homes | NYS DOL requires an asbestos survey before work disturbs building materials, regardless of construction date. | Some owner-occupied homes are exempt. Call and we will tell you what applies. |
| Fire debris | Mixed fire debris has no approved bulk method. A contamination assessment is sometimes needed, and a Project Designer determines whether a site-specific variance is needed. | A licensed inspector is required before fire cleanup. |
| Licenses | 282890. Inspector, management planner, project monitor, project designer, air sampling technician, supervisor. | Asb-Co-Con-000089. Inspector, management planner, project designer, project monitor, PCM analyst, field analyst. |
Sources: NYS DOL P232, P231, Vermont DOH fact sheet.
Planning an abatement or demolition project?
Before the work starts and before anyone signs off at the end, you need independent testing. ClearVU handles pre-demolition asbestos surveys, project monitoring, clearance air sampling, and NY DOL variances.
Why independent testing. ClearVU Environmental tests and documents. Our findings stay independent of whoever does the cleanup work.
Do I need a survey before removal or demolition?
Yes. In both New York and Vermont, a survey is required before renovation, rehab, or demolition, no matter the building's age.
SurveysCan I remove asbestos myself?
In New York, the single-family, owner-occupied exemption (12 NYCRR 56-1.3(a), DOL P229) applies only to a single-family dwelling occupied or to be occupied by the owner, with the owner doing the work personally. Not landlords, flippers, or contractors, and not buildings slated for demolition.
When do I need a variance?
When a job cannot follow Code Rule 56 as written, a DOL-certified Project Designer prepares a site-specific variance petition, filed through MPWR and valid one year.
VariancesCan the abatement contractor do its own air testing?
No. ICR 56-4.3 requires project air sampling by a third-party firm hired by the owner and independent of the abatement contractor.
Clearance air samplingWho monitors the job?
A DOL-certified project monitor documents the work. Monitoring and air sampling can be on the same job (ICR 56-4.4).
Project monitoringWho tests the air after abatement?
An independent third-party air sampling firm (ICR 56-4.3). Clearance criteria are set in Industrial Code Rule 56.
Clearance air samplingDo I need an asbestos survey before tearing out mold-damaged materials?
NYS DOL requires an asbestos survey before work disturbs building materials, regardless of construction date.
SurveysA report the building department can use
Survey reports identify homogeneous materials, quantities, sample locations, laboratory results for bulk samples, and the licenses of the inspector. Bulk samples analyzed by independent, accredited labs.
Combined asbestos and lead surveys for pre-1978 renovations are available in New York and Vermont. See lead inspections.
Who we work with
Contractors who need a permit survey, owners planning demolition, realtors and buyers, property managers, and schools and housing providers. Experience includes AHERA school inspections and NYS HCR-funded housing projects.
Request a proposal →Do I need an asbestos survey before renovating in New York?
Generally yes. NYS DOL guidance (P231) says Industrial Code Rule 56 requires a survey by a NYS-certified inspector before interior or exterior renovation, remodeling, repair, and demolition.
Source: NYS DOL P231Do I need an asbestos survey if my building is newer?
NYS DOL requires an asbestos survey before work disturbs building materials, regardless of construction date. EPA and Vermont rules have no age cutoff either, though some homes are exempt; call us and we'll tell you what applies.
Source: NYS DOL (P232)Can I remove asbestos myself?
In New York, the single-family, owner-occupied exemption (12 NYCRR 56-1.3(a), DOL P229) applies only to a single-family dwelling occupied or to be occupied by the owner, with the owner doing the work personally. That path is not for landlords, flippers, or contractors, and it is not for buildings slated for demolition.
Source: NYS DOL P229What happens if asbestos is found?
A licensed abatement contractor removes it before other trades touch it (ICR 56-5.1). The survey stays on site. Independent air sampling follows under ICR 56-4.3.
Source: Industrial Code Rule 56Who can do clearance air sampling?
A third-party firm hired by the owner and independent of the abatement contractor (ICR 56-4.3). The survey or monitor firm may do it when it only tests on that job (56-4.4). We don't do abatement, so we can serve as the independent air-sampling firm on jobs where we're hired by the owner or the owner's agent (ICR 56-4.3, 56-4.4(a)).
Source: ICR 56-4.3Do I need an inspection in Vermont?
In most cases, yes. Vermont requires a VT-licensed asbestos inspector before renovation or demolition. Some owner-occupied homes are exempt; call us and we'll tell you what applies.
Source: Vermont Department of HealthIs vermiculite insulation asbestos?
Treat it as asbestos. New York says there is no reliable bulk test that can prove vermiculite asbestos-free, and Vermont says to treat it as asbestos-containing. We test and do clearance after a licensed contractor removes it.
Source: NYS DOL asbestos informationHow long do results take?
We'll tell you when to expect the report when you book.
When is a site-specific variance needed?
When a project cannot follow Industrial Code Rule 56 as written. A DOL-certified Project Designer prepares the petition, it is filed through MPWR, and a site-specific variance is valid for one year.
Variances and project designWhat affects the cost of an asbestos survey?
The number of areas and materials to sample, building size and access, how many samples go to the lab, rush lab turnaround, and the report the job needs, such as a demolition submittal. Call for a written quote.
Where we survey
Queensbury and Glens Falls, the Lake George towns, Saratoga County, Washington County, the Capital Region, the Adirondacks, and all of Vermont. Lead inspections, mold assessments, water testing, and environmental testing are offered in New York and Vermont. See the service-area pages.
Verify licenses
Check each license with the agency that issues it.
Planning a renovation or demolition? Schedule the asbestos survey.
Call 518.832.9213 or email support [at] cvenv [dot] com. Sample drop-off at our Queensbury office.