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Posts Tagged ‘Asbestos’

What is asbestos removal, and why do it?

Asbestos is a known carcinogenic (cancer-causing material) that enjoyed widespread use in buildings and construction for its extremely high resistance to heat, electrical, and chemical damage, as well as its high level of sound absorption. Thus, through the 1970s, asbestos was used as a flame retardant and electrical insulation in construction projects across the world. In the 1970s it had become clear that asbestos could cause cancer and respiratory problems.

Because of these factors, many people elect to remove asbestos from their homes. You’ll want to call an asbestos removal or asbestos abatement contractor. Make sure you do some research into the contractor’s background. Asbestos removal is serious business and you want the most qualified contractor for the job.

The asbestos removal contractor must be qualified—with a good resume to back them up. They usually charge between $200 and $400 per hour. Determine the level of the contractor’s training. Some states require that the contractor be licensed; others don’t. Once you’ve made your choice, the asbestos removal contractor will inspect your home.

Good inspectors identify and test possible asbestos trouble spots. The hazards of asbestos fibers depend on the conditions. The inspector will determine whether the asbestos fibers are “friable” (flaky or crumbling). The EPA and the Consumer Products Safety Commission recommend leaving the asbestos alone if it’s not determined to be friable.

If the asbestos is not friable, the contractor can perform asbestos abatement, which is covering and sealing the asbestos. But friable asbestos that is beyond abatement must be removed.

The contractor will provide an estimate of the cost. If you agree to this, you’ll make a plan with your contractor for the removal job.

Make sure you talk with your asbestos removal contractor about sealing off the property for safety while the job is being done. If necessary, you may want to temporarily move your family to another location during the job. There’s plenty of reason to take all possible health precautions.

Once the job is completed, the asbestos removal contractor will do a final inspection to make sure the area is safe for reentry. Then you should receive a certificate of safety for the property.

Who would want to hire an asbestos removal contractor?

Even if the asbestos is not a current threat—meaning it is not friable—you may want to remove it if you’re planning any future renovations. When you start those renovations, you’re going to have to remove the asbestos anyway. The EPA says that if you don’t remove the asbestos, you may want to seal it. Your asbestos removal or asbestos abatement contractor can also help you determine the best, safest ways to do this.

If you don’t plan any future renovations, you may still want to remove the asbestos in your home. It could become a future health hazard. Preventative measures could benefit you, your family, and the value of your property investment.

Furthermore, an asbestos removal contractor can at the least inspect your property to determine whether you are breathing friable asbestos. The negative health effects of asbestos exposure take decades to show up. It’s good to know whether you are at risk.

What are the benefits and drawbacks to asbestos removal?

Be careful whom you hire. Asbestos removal contractors that don’t spend sufficient time speculating the details and planning the asbestos removal could perform a bad job. This could result in releasing asbestos fibers into the air. Such an outcome would multiply your former asbestos-related health threats by three or four times.

If the job isn’t performed properly—by an unscrupulous contractor, for example—you risk inhaling asbestos fibers. This can cause lung cancer and asbestosis (a respiratory disease associated with asbestos exposure).

What’s more, it can take 20 to 30 years for the symptoms of asbestos exposure to develop. But this means that you could be exposed to asbestos in your home whether or not a contractor has performed any work on asbestos removal.

You may want to hire an asbestos removal contractor to at least perform an inspection of your home to determine if you have asbestos, and to recommend how to deal with it. It would be prudent to find out whether you are inhabiting a residence where you’re regularly exposed to carcinogenics.