What Happens if You Find Asbestos in Your Home?
20 Feb 2020 Custom Building
Understanding what happens if you find asbestos in your home during a renovation project will help you better protect your family and yourself from unnecessary health risks. At Alderidge Construction, they understand that finding asbestos in your home can be scary and expensive. That is why their team will work closely with you to find a professional to remove the asbestos safely and efficiently, so that your home renovation project can get back underway as soon as possible.
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is made up of six different naturally occurring fibrous materials—actinolite, amosite, anthophyllite, chrysotile, crocidolite, and tremolite—and is known for its strength and heat resistance. While this once made asbestos a favourite product to add to many housing materials, it was discovered in the 1970s that asbestos could pose a series of health and safety risks. Soon after, asbestos was classified as a carcinogen and was eliminated from use in housing materials.
Where is Asbestos Commonly Found?
While asbestos is no longer used in housing products, older homes that were constructed in the 1940s through the 1970s may still contain asbestos products. If you are planning on having your home renovated, the professional team working on your home may discover asbestos in common items, such as:
- Basement boilers and pipes
- Blow-in attic insulation
- Caulking
- Ceiling tiles
- HVAC duct insulation
- Plaster
- Vinyl tile floors
- Roof shingles
What to do if You Find Asbestos in Your Home
Since your home may already contain materials with asbestos, it is important to note that the only way to prevent asbestos fibres from becoming airborne is to keep the materials in good condition or to remove and replace them.
If asbestos is discovered in your home during a renovation project, the team working on your house will stop all work and will help you hire a professional who is certified to conduct asbestos abatement work. The professional removing the asbestos from your home will have the right supplies and tools, such as a HEPA vacuum and respirators, to remove the asbestos without releasing fibres into the air.
Once they are finished removing the asbestos materials from your home, air samples will be tested from your home to ensure that no asbestos fibres were released and that it is safe to continue working on the renovation project.
If you would like to learn more about what happens if you find asbestos in your home, or if you are interested in their custom home building services, please contact Alderidge Construction at 1-844-RENO-453 or by booking a consultation on their website.
