Asbestos in Your Home: Here Are 5 Things You Should Do Immediately

The word ‘asbestos’ has been derived from a Greek word that means inextinguishable. Why was this name chosen?

Simply because asbestos that was found naturally in the Earth’s rocks and soil had an excellent fire and heat-resistant qualities.

Asbestos had great insulation properties and was sturdy yet affordable. This is why it was used extensively in the construction industry. 

Scientists in the 1980s and 1990s were able to carry out tests and establish a direct correlation between asbestos and dangerous human illnesses like asbestosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma, and different forms of other cancers (ovarian, larynx, and stomach).

Ever since then, governments and policymakers have been trying to ban and control the spread of asbestos. 

For many homeowners that are looking to buy new homes and carry out renovation, this problem can become a real headache.

If the home was built between the 1940s and 1980s, you can rest assured that there are traces of asbestos in the flooring, ceiling, paint, walls, boilers, and insulation points of the house. 

5 Things to Do if You Find Asbestos in Your House: a Guide for Homeowners

1. Find Out Whether the Materials in Your House Contain Asbestos-

You might be speculating, and you do not want to do that. You need to be absolutely certain that what you are dealing with is indeed asbestos.

There is only one way to do it- get it tested by a specialized laboratory. You can call a professional that can take a small sample and send it to the laboratory.

If by any chance you can’t get a professional to help you, you can actually do asbestos sampling yourself if you get the right equipment.

Once you get the results, you can be sure of what you are dealing with. 

2. Figure Out the Places in the House Where You Are Likely to Find Asbestos-

According to experts, homes constructed between the forties and eighties used asbestos for flooring, ceiling work, walls, paints, adhesives, electrical casings, insulation pipes, boiler rooms, and the attic area.

This is a lot of places. Hence, you need to make sure that you collect samples from each of these places and get them tested at the laboratory. 

3. Try to Identify What Asbestos Looks Like to Get a Better Idea About Its Presence-

You should know that asbestos fibres are very hard to spot with the naked eye. You can easily mistake them for cement particles or some form of textile or fabric.

The fibres are needle-like, meaning they are sharp and slim in nature and appearance.

In terms of color, asbestos fibres can range from white to gray, brown, and even red. It is best that you send it to a lab for tests. 

4. Call in Professionals to Remove the Asbestos in a Safe and Secure Manner-

At no point would you want to be exposed to asbestos fibres given the proven dangers that have been established by the medical community.

This is why whenever you want to get rid of the asbestos in your house, please call in the experts.

Professionals will take the necessary precautions and remove it. Please visit- Asbestology Gold Coast

5. Check the Rules and Regulations That Have Been Put in Place by the Authorities-

Every government (at the national and local levels) has certain policies and regulations governing the handling and removal of asbestos in their region.

You need to check the official policies and papers to get an idea about what needs to be done when you come across asbestos removal.

This will help you get an idea about what needs to be done to keep yourself safe. 

The Final Takeaway

It is important to note that homeowners take every precaution not to disturb the asbestos when they spot it for the first time.

When you pick it up or scrape it with anything else, the asbestos fibres come loose and become airborne.

This is where the dangers of inhaling the fibres through the nose and mouth become more apparent.

If you have any other questions that you would like our experts to answer on asbestos removal and identification, please let us know in the comments section below.