How To Find Asbestos in Your Home
If your home contains asbestos, you will need to have the asbestos removed by professionals. But before you can know that it is essential to remove asbestos, you will need to identify whether you have asbestos in your home in the first place. Sometimes, it can be difficult to know if you are truly safe, so you will also need to take extra precautions when performing your own DIY project.
Sometimes It's Hard To Tell if a Product Has Asbestos
You will not be able to determine whether a material has asbestos in it simply by looking at it unless it has a label indicating the presence of the mineral. However, if you can identify the brand of the product in your home, you might be able to research whether it contains asbestos.
If you don't know whether a material contains asbestos, treat it as to it does and do not perform any action that could cause the material to break up and release asbestos fibers. Instead, contact a contractor who has training on how to work with asbestos, such as one from a company like IRS Environmental of WA Inc.
Leave alone Products with Asbestos
When you do find something that contains asbestos, but it is in good condition, leave it alone. The product will usually not be harmful in its intact state, but you should ascertain whether it contains asbestos so that if renovations must be performed on your home, the workers responsible for the renovations can take steps to avoid asbestos exposure.
Look for Common Sources of Asbestos
While asbestos can be found in surprising places, you should begin by determining if your home contains any products that contain asbestos. Some home roofs and siding are made using cement that contains asbestos. If your home was built before the 1950s, your insulation might contain asbestos. Textured paint used in many homes contained asbestos until it was banned in 1977. Vinyl floor tiles and vinyl sheet adhesives have contained asbestos. Pipes found in old homes might also contain it. Therefore, if you have any of these features, you should find out if they contain asbestos and assume they do if you cannot verify it. The challenge with identifying asbestos is that the material is often mixed with other materials, so you may need the help of an expert.
Additional sources can include these:
- Plaster
- Window Caulk
- Linoleum
- Some types of paint
Always Wear Protective Equipment
Even if you are not sure if there is asbestos in your home, when you are performing renovations, you should put on coveralls, a face mask and eye protection. Wearing the right equipment will reduce the risk that you will come in contact with asbestos.