Currently, there are many people who want to renovate their homes and they are not aware of how dangerous is asbestos at home. It may damage your health if you are not taking appropriate safety precautions.
If you are considering renovating your home, we highly recommend that you read this guide on the removal of asbestos at home to avoid the health problems arising from exposure to this dangerous material.
Contents
- 1 WHERE IS ASBESTOS FOUND AT HOME?
- 2 IS ASBESTOS DANGEROUS IN MY HOME?
- 3 WHERE CAN I FIND ASBESTOS IN MY HOME?
- 4 How does asbestos exposure occur?
- 5 Asbestos on popcorn ceiling and ceiling tiles
- 6 What does asbestos ceiling tiles look like?
- 7 How to identify asbestos siding?
- 8 What do asbestos floor tiles look like?
- 9 Asbestos pipes insulation.
- 10 Asbestos in car brakes
- 11 HOW MUCH DOES AN ASBESTOS TEST COST?
- 12 ASBESTOS AT HOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (F.A.Q.)
WHERE IS ASBESTOS FOUND AT HOME?
In houses built before the 90s it is very common finding traces of asbestos in the ceiling, floor tiles, pipes and thermal insulation, among others.
As we said, these materials used to be made of asbestos fibers to give them greater robustness or insulating properties.
Many people begin to carry out renovations in their homes without taking into account that they may be exposing themselves to the inhalation of asbestos fibers.
Therefore, it is very important to inform ourselves correctly before starting demolition, in order to avoid spreading fibres of this carcinogenic material.
IS ASBESTOS DANGEROUS IN MY HOME?
Yes, it is very dangerous to live in a house where there are asbestos remains.
Asbestos is made up of natural minerals that come in the form of fine fibres that combine with other substances to produce robust and insulating materials.
This product has been used for many decades in the manufacture of building materials at homes.
The handling and removal of these materials results in the spread of asbestos fibres in the air, favouring the inhalation and subsequent accumulation of fibres in the respiratory system.
This exposure can lead to the development of a malignant tumor of the membrane that envelops the lungs (mesothelioma) or lung cancer.
Mesothelioma is a cancer that occurs in the mesothelium, which is the lining of the lungs, and it is produced almost exclusively by inhalation of asbestos dust and fibers.
It can also cause lung carcinoma, among other types of malignant tumors. The development of cancer occurs about 15 or 30 years after the contact with asbestos.
WHERE CAN I FIND ASBESTOS IN MY HOME?
In most buildings built before 1990, we can find asbestos in the insulating materials of walls, foam-shaped ceilings, asbestos pipes, floor or bathroom tiles, cement and even textured paints.
How does asbestos exposure occur?
Asbestos exposure usually occurs when the walls or ceilings are demolished in a building, when we drill holes in a wall or ceiling, when we replace pipes or when we remove tiles.
If we make these modifications without having carried out an asbestos test, it is possible that the dissemination of asbestos fibers or dust in the air will occur, with the consequent inhalation of this carcinogenic material.
Asbestos on popcorn ceiling and ceiling tiles
In houses built around 1970 walls and ceilings used to have texture to cover walls imperfections.
Over time, these finishes ceased to be fashionable and owners began to remove this material from walls and ceilings without taking into account any safety measures.
Yeras after, they discovered that these textured paints contained asbestos, and when they were removed, the asbestos fibers were dispersed through the air and breathed by the people present.
On the other hand, it was also very common to use asbestos fibres for the manufacture of removable roof scares. Even today, it is possible to find these asbestos plaques on the roofs of old houses and buildings that have not been renovated.
What does asbestos ceiling tiles look like?
Many people are affected by asbestos inhalation after these asbestos roofs have been removed. It is therefore extremely important to hire a company for the removal of asbestos roofs.
If you are thinking of removing this paint from your home, contact an asbestos removal company near you.
The removal of asbestos at home can be very expensive, because it must be carried out by companies with asbestos specialized professionals and strict safety measures.
If you are not sure if there is asbestos in your home you can buy an asbestos screening test to check if your household materials contain this mineral.
These asbestos tests are very affordable and you can buy it in numerous online stores. Before using it, be sure to wear goggles and asbestos FFP2 mask to prevent fiber inhalation.
If the result is positive, do not hesitate to call experts in the removal of asbestos, in order to protect your relatives life, since the consequences could be terrible.
How to identify asbestos siding?
Asbestos is present in many old homes and buildings due to its great resistence to water, hight temperatures and for its durability and robustness.
It is not possible to identify asbestos siding withou an asbestos test. If you are not sure of the the composition of your siding, you shouldt test for asbestos before removing it.
What do asbestos floor tiles look like?
Asbestos has been used for many years in the manufacture of vinyl floor tiles.
In the 50s, it was very common to have slooth floors made of asbestos fibers at homes. The problem comes when the demolition of this type of soil is carried out. Tools break the tiles, releasing a large amount of asbestos fibers into the air we inhale.
These asbestos fragments can become embedded in the lungs and they can develop a mesothelioma or malignant cancer over time.
Asbestos pipes insulation.
Asbestos has been widely used for many years in the manufacture of pipes, especially in heating pipes, due to its great thermal insulation power.
If you are considering a renovation in your home and you want to change the pipes, consult a certified asbestos removal professional.
Asbestos in car brakes
If you own an old car and you want to change the brakes at home, you should find out about the composition of these.
It is very likely that your car has brakes made of asbestos fibers. Therefore, we recommend that you do not perform any brake removal tasks if you are not absolutely sure that there is no danger.
HOW MUCH DOES AN ASBESTOS TEST COST?
Testing for asbestos in materials is relatively inexpensive, and it typically costs $40 to $80.
We must add the fees derived from the analysis of the sample by a specialized laboratory. These usually have a cost of about 50%, depending on the laboratory and the type of sample.
You can also hire an asbestos abatement company specialized in the analysis and removal of asbestos-contaminated materials. A certified asbestos professional can perform this check for a price ranging from $400 to $900.
ASBESTOS AT HOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (F.A.Q.)
You can test for asbestos with a home asbestos test kit. Yu only have to remove a sample of suspicious material and send it to a specialized asbestos laboratory. You can also hire an asbestos removal company to test and remove asbestos at home.
Asbestos siding looks like other material siding, it can’t be distinguished without an asbestos test.
If you want to know if your popcorn ceiling has asbestos you should buy an asbestos test and send a sample to an asbestos laboratory. You can also hire an asbestos professional to test and remove the suspicious material.
Asbestos exposure can produce mesothelioma, lung cancer, pharyngeal cancer and ovarian cancer.
Cellulose and asbestos insulation are apparently very similar. If you want to tell for sure if your insulation contains asbestos, you should contract an asbestos professional to extract some samples and test them in a specialised laboratory.
It is not worth to take any risk for your health.
If the test result is asbestos positive, you should hire a removal asbestos abatement company, they are prepared to execute safe asbestos removing.
Asbestos poisoning is a chronic disease caused by the prolonged inhalation of asbestos fibers, due to occupational works in construction industry, minery, insulaion, plumbing, roofing or shipbuilding, among others.
This asbestos related disease is called asestosis and it can cause shortness of breath and lung tissue scarring.
