In the 70s, it became quite obvious that prolonged exposure to asbestos might cause respiratory problems, cancer and a lot of other health issues. According to most experts, asbestos hysteria became common because asbestos was found everywhere, such as homes, grocery stores, schools, churches and offices.
As a result, people began to look for ways to remove asbestos from homes, apartments and buildings. Besides, governments of many countries started banning and phasing out the asbestos production. Over the decades, most of asbestos was removed from structures around the world. However, there is still a lot of it to be removed. Since it’s dangerous to remove asbestos, people wonder if they should remove it or keep it there.
Keep in mind that living in a home with asbestos may not pose a health risk. The majority of people who have health problems related to asbestos are exposed to this material for years like employees in factories where this stuff is produced.
However, in homes, this material tends to deteriorate with the passage of time. Alternatively, it can become damaged or disturbed, which results in the emission of this material in the air. Since this product has plenty of staying power, it may stay in the air of your house for years. When you breathe, the fibers get into your lungs.
With the passage of time, the fibers pile up in your lungs, which may cause mesothelioma and cancer. In a building, it can be found in the cement, floor tiles, roof shingles, soundproofing tiles, siding, fiberboard, insulation and paint.
Asbestos in a Home
If you have had a professional visit your house to detect the presence of asbestos, and the test results came positive, what would you do next? This decision depends upon a lot of factors.
If the asbestos is found in those things in your house that may get disturbed, make sure you have the material removed. Aside from this, any type of disturbance, such as sawing fiberboard or sanding paint may contain this material.
Also, if the asbestos is in good condition in the form of plumbing piles or insulation, you may leave it there. However, it’s better to cover or seal these things. Sealing can be done with special products designed for coating asbestos products and binding the fibers. This will prevent the emission of the fibers.
Regardless of the method you opt for, we suggest that you hire the services of a professional contactor. Although government health agencies encourage homeowners to have professionals remove this substance, you can remove it yourself. Since professionals are quite expensive, you should use the right tools and take the right steps to have the substance removed.
It’s better to opt for hand tools rather than power tools for minimizing the dust during the removal process. Aside from this, you may want to try a vacuum cleaner for cleaning up and sweeping the excess material. Make sure you keep the material wet or damp, which will prevent the fibers from getting mixed in the air.
So, this was an introduction to asbestos and whether you should have it removed or not.