It is possible that you have asbestos in your home and you don’t even know it. Older homes have been known to have asbestos in them, and sometimes it is hard to detect. It is common to find asbestos in homes that are older, and often it is difficult to find. If the area of concern is in good shape and has not shown any wear or tear, then there is a good chance there is nothing to worry about. On the other hand if you have cracked vinyl tiles, it stands to reason that there could be asbestos particles floating in your home.
It is impossible to determine if a material has asbestos in it just by looking at it. You may have a good idea depending on the age of the material and what it looks like but this does not determine if it is present or not. Typically homes built before the early 1980s will have some form of asbestos or another. It was not until the mid 1980’s that asbestos was banned for use in buildings. To be absolutely certain it is a good idea to have it tested. Hiring an asbestos testing company is one way to go, and there are some DIY kits where you can test for asbestos on your own.
If you decide to do the test on your home be certain you use proper precautions. Make sure the affected area is sprayed wet before you scrape a piece off of it and wear protective gloves and face mask just to be sure. Asbestos removal is generally a job that should be left to professionals. Since you are dealing with toxic materials it is usually not a good idea to handle this on your own. It is quite easy to contaminate yourself, home and family members. Although it may be a small amount of asbestos it is better to be safe than sorry.
You’ve Discovered Asbestos in Your Home So What’s The Action Plan
You could try to remove the asbestos on your own, or you could hire asbestos removal companies. If you are looking to tackle this job on your own be prepared to rent or buy a HEPA air machine to remove any toxins in the air as you go about removing the asbestos. Some other items that will be required are disposable clothing, foot covers, mask, and access to a water source. It is very important to keep the asbestos wet while you are removing it.
Hiring a company to remove asbestos would be the safest route to take since they know how to deal with this type of material. These certified experts are trained to handle toxic materials in the safest manner possible. A professional will come to your home or business and give you an idea of the extent of work that needs to be done. From there they will put specific procedures in place to have the asbestos removed and abated without any fuss on your part. Once the removal and abatement process is complete, an air quality test will be done to ensure the air is free of asbestos fibers and dust. In conclusion, removing asbestos is not a DIY job.
