Asbestos In Your Home

The air quality in your home is incredibly important, especially considering you spend about one third of your time at your house. One of the most deadly things your house could contain is asbestos, which affects the air you breathe.

Asbestos is a mineral that was used as a in many homes from the 1940s through the 1970s because it works well as an economical fire retardant. It was not until after it was already built into thousands of homes that its negative side effects were discovered. Asbestos is unhealthy when it becomes airborne because the tiny fibers, which are incredibly abrasive, can be inhaled. This can cause lung damage and lead to serious future health issues.

In order to determine whether your home contains asbestos, you can hire a contractor to evaluate your house. Usually, these contractors are industrial hygienists or environmental labs, which will take several samples throughout your home in order to check for asbestos. Once you receive the results, the contractors will tell you which areas of your home contain asbestos, as well as how it should be safely removed.

There are a few important things to keep in mind if your home does have asbestos. If the material that contains the asbestos is not damaged, then the fibers are unable to become airborne. This means it is not non-friable – it cannot be made airborne unless it is cut into or sawed. When the asbestos is encapsulated in the building material, it does not pose a health hazard. Therefore, most homes that do contain asbestos will not have negative side effects on the health of the occupants because it is not released into the air. If the asbestos found is exposed and friable, meaning it can crumble easily, then the homeowners should take the necessary steps to have it removed.

If you have an older home with asbestos and plan to renovate or remodel, asbestos could be an issue. During a construction project, the building material that contains asbestos could get damaged, and the small particles could be released. Therefore, many states have laws which require homeowners to test for asbestos prior to beginning any sort of remodel of construction. If asbestos is found in the house, it must be carefully removed by licensed professional before construction continues.

If asbestos is found in your home and must be removed, it is important to choose a qualified professional that can get the job done safely. The contractor should have completed a state-approved asbestos safety course to ensure that it is extracted without posing a health hazard to themselves or others.

Do you know if you have asbestos in your home? And, if you do, will you need it removed? Contact us today so that we can help guide you through the process of asbestos removal.