Glossary · Health & indoor air

Abatement and remediation (asbestos, mold, lead)

Also called: abatement · remediation · asbestos abatement · mold remediation · lead abatement · containment

Professional work to remove, seal or enclose a hazard such as asbestos, mold or lead paint, and to clean up safely afterward.

What it means

Abatement usually refers to asbestos or lead: trained crews contain the work area so dust can't spread, then remove the material or permanently seal or enclose it. Remediation is the usual word for mold: removing contaminated materials, cleaning the rest and fixing the moisture source. Painting over lead paint or covering mold without fixing the cause doesn't count.

Why it matters in an audit

Hazard work is quoted separately from testing and has to be finished before insulation or air sealing goes ahead in that area, so it affects both the order and the cost of an upgrade plan.

Typical numbers

Reference values with their sources. Your auditor’s report gives the figure for your own house.

What	Value	Source
US EPA (lead)	Abatement permanently addresses lead hazards and must be done by certified individuals and firms; painting over doesn't qualify	epa.gov ↗

Sources

Related terms

Asbestos A mineral fiber once common in building products; low risk when left intact, but dangerous to breathe when materials are damaged or removed.
Vermiculite insulation (Zonolite) A pebbly, brownish or silvery loose-fill attic insulation that may contain asbestos from a Montana mine, so it shouldn't be disturbed.
Mold Fungi that grow on damp surfaces indoors; they can damage materials and affect health, and moisture is always the root cause.
Lead paint Paint containing lead, common in older homes; sanding, scraping or removing it creates toxic dust that's especially harmful to young children.
Radon mitigation (sub-slab depressurization) Fixing high radon, usually with a pipe through the basement floor and a fan that pulls soil gas from under the slab and vents it outside.

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