You might be wondering if there is asbestos in your home. You’ve heard that this can be hazardous to your home that’s why asbestos testing is a process getting popular nowadays. It’s important to know first what is asbestos, how it becomes hazardous, and what you should do if you find asbestos in your home.
How Asbestos Becomes a Hazard to Get Rid of?
In the US, a lot of homes built in 1980 are said to contain asbestos especially in the roof shingles, old floor tiles, insulations, pipe cement, and others. According to some studies, asbestos becomes hazardous when mixed with the air. When asbestos becomes damaged, its fibers can be released. For instance, when asbestos from your pipes and furnaces start to deteriorate, they can produce asbestos dust. When your ceiling is in bad condition, then ceiling fans and drilling actions can help spread asbestos. Dust of asbestos can either clog pipes or go with the drinking water. When that happens, it can pose another problem.
How to Check Asbestos in your Home
Although the most common and practical way to check asbestos at home is through a visual inspection, it’s still not enough. When you have some samples of suspected asbestos fiber, you should have them tested in a certified laboratory for better analysis and evaluation.
There are also other two known methods of analyzing asbestos: the Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM).
In addition, hiring an expert with asbestos can aid in minimizing the asbestos effect to your home and your family.
What to do if asbestos is found in your home?
Dealing with asbestos at home depends on where the asbestos is found. Besides, the material’s condition must be also considered. Friable asbestos can be powdered easily and becomes airborne. This type poses health hazards. On the other hand, non-friable asbestos is more bounded with another material, thus, the fibers from it are difficult to mix with the air unless of course, they are cut, sawed, or sanded.
If a material which has asbestos is still in good condition, then the dust and fiber will not be released. If that’s the case, you don’t have to worry because it’s not yet dangerous. But of course, if not monitored properly, the asbestos will then deteriorates and may then cause damage.
In some instances, you can repair or isolate the materials with asbestos in your home rather than totally removing them. For instance, small damage or tear in pipe insulation can be just repaired instead of having it replaced by a new one. You can also use encapsulants to create a seak against the asbestos fibers.
You might be asking what can be the permanent answer when it comes to an asbestos problem at home. A long-term solution can be asbestos removal. However, it is important to remember that asbestos removal can be of high risk if not handled properly. It is advisable to take samples after the removal process to make sure that the homeowners are all safe. The asbestos removal experts must use equipment and materials such as respirators, HEPA vacuum, and disposable clothing. Some do not have have the proper certification when it comes to asbestos repairs and removal. You must ensure that the person who will do the job has finished an asbestos safety course approved either by the state of the federal. For easier reference, you can get in touch with the regional EPA office and the Better Business Bureau. They can provide a list of professionals near you.
All of us want to live in a safe home for a healthier life. We all strive to make our home and environment conducive for everyone by getting rid of harmful elements. When it comes to asbestos removal, make sure to have a comprehensive analysis first before getting rid of it.