If you have an older home or do not know your house’s renovation history, you might come across an insidious danger lurking within: asbestos. Despite its benefits when used in homes, asbestos has been shown to be dangerous to humans, and it is not recommended for untrained professionals to deal with the substance. Before you plan a new home renovation, learn more about asbestos removal, its associated risks, and what your plan should be moving forward.
Asbestos Explained
Asbestos is a fibrous material initially used for its effective thermal and acoustic insulation ability. Despite its strengths, asbestos was discovered to cause long-term health effects in people who ingested the tiny flakes of asbestos fibers often shed from the product. Nowadays, homes built before the widespread ban on asbestos in the 1970s and 1980s are still commonly seen with asbestos lining the walls.
Asbestos sitting alone within your walls is not necessarily dangerous. When disturbed or moved during renovations, the danger arises from the fibers released in the air. Asbestos can be found in a wide variety of areas within a household. These include drywall, attics, HVAC ducts, roofs, and even paints. When a homeowner decides to remove a wall, vault a ceiling, or renovate an attic space, the risk of asbestos spread grows. The leftover asbestos must be contained or removed before any serious renovations can be completed.
Asbestos Removal Plan Of Action
To determine if any areas of your house contain asbestos, you must contact a trained and certified inspector in your area. The inspector will do a thorough job in all areas of the house to determine the location and amount of asbestos and recommend best practices to deal with the problem.
Dealing with asbestos can occur in two many ways. The most obvious solution is to request a professional company’s services to completely remove all asbestos, as described by the inspector’s report. Doing this ensures that any future renovations can proceed without the hassle of dealing with asbestos.
There is, however, another common way to deal with asbestos. Instead of removal, some homeowners opt to seal away the asbestos, either within an enclosed protective cover or through sealants. Compared to the complete removal of the asbestos, sealing away the asbestos can be used when full removals are unnecessary or prohibitively costly for your current situation. Despite being cheaper, these short-term solutions have the possibility of causing more hardships down the line. For starters, the abatement of asbestos fiber threads often requires upkeep, meaning this method is not a one-and-done process. Furthermore, later renovations might require the total removal of asbestos regardless, meaning any money saved up front will be wasted when the time comes to remove all reaming traces of the material from your home. Many potential homebuyers will also be wary of homes still laced with asbestos, making it harder to sell the house in the future.
Whichever method you decide to employ, always remember that asbestos removal should be done by a trained professional. Asbestos fibers are invisible to the naked eye and can lie dormant in the body for years, causing problems and leading to severe health risks for you and your family.
If you are considering renovating your older home, our West Coast Design Build Florida experts can help you determine how to proceed safely with your remodeling. Whether transitioning from an older kitchen to a new gourmet kitchen or tearing down a wall to add a bathroom – we are here to help.
