Asbestos was used in a wide range of common building materials used for building and remodelling works. If you are leaving in an older home, there are greater chances of the presence of asbestos in any of the building materials.
Asbestos is safe to use in your home and does not have any major health hazard until the asbestos materials are not damaged or deteriorated.
Hence, it is always advised to regularly inspect your older home for any structural defects. In this article, you can learn more about the health risks associated with asbestos exposure and identify to remove it from your home.
What is asbestos and why is it dangerous?
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral, which is durable, fire-resistant, and inexpensive. It is used widely in various building materials. It is mainly found in rocks. Asbestos building materials contain microscopic asbestos fibres.
When asbestos products are damaged and exposed, they release fibre in the surroundings. Inhaling these fibres can cause cancer and lung diseases.
Any renovation or maintenance works like drilling through walls or roofs, replacing an old insulation pipe, replacing an older brake drum in the garage, and removing flooring tiles can expose you to asbestos fibres.
In older homes, asbestos can be found in various building materials like wall paints, pipe insulation, millboard, roof shingles, cement roofing, window putty, and floor tiles.
How can you identify if asbestos is in your home?
Read also: 8 Steps to Deep Clean Your Bathroom
Practically, it is impossible to identify asbestos fibres or products with the naked eye. But, there are signs that show the presence of asbestos products in your building material.
It is dangerous for any DIY inspection to find the presence of asbestos as it may expose you to asbestos fibres airborne. You can hire a professional to inspect and manage asbestos to prevent its exposure.
Here are some signs that show your home may have asbestos –
- You have an older home built before 20th
- Your home has vermiculite insulation, which appears yellow or brown in colour.
- You have old vinyl flooring or millboard installed.
- Your home has corrugated roofing.
- Your walls and other areas like water tanks are built before the 20th century and are made of cement.
As asbestos is dangerous when disturbed, you should always employ an asbestos professional who can test to confirm its presence properly.
How to test asbestos to confirm its presence?
A trained asbestos professional can test for it by eliminating the risk of exposure and health hazard. They can also provide services like proper asbestos disposal, removal or replacement of asbestos building materials, and encapsulating asbestos products.
The cost of professional asbestos testing depends on various factors like the number of samples required, the type of testing, and your geographical location.
Asbestos testing services by professionals include air quality testing, asbestos inspection, asbestos detection, testing, and sampling.
Before conducting any renovation work, you must carry out asbestos testing to ensure your family’s health and safety.
The asbestos professionals have protective gloves, overalls, footwear, and respiratory equipment to protect them from asbestos fibres.
They have undergone training to prevent potential asbestos contamination and reduce the risk of disturbing asbestos during the inspection or removal process.
How is asbestos removed?
A professional asbestos removal company have specialised training and equipment to safely remove asbestos from your home without posing a hazard to the health of you and your family.
Here are a few tips for a safe asbestos removal process –
- You must hire an asbestos-licensed company. Only a state-licensed professional have legal rights to repair or remove asbestos materials.
- You must verify their license and safety service ratings.
- Ask your asbestos removal professional to dispose of asbestos in an asbestos-approved area.
- Verify that they have used safe removal methods and have all necessary PPEs.
On completion of removal work, they must test air samples to ensure zero asbestos contamination in their surroundings.
