That’s the first thing you need to know before you can confirm that you have a project to deal with. There are usually ways to find out online if you have an asbestos problem. Depending on when your home was built, there may be information out there that identifies homes that were built during a specific timeline. Usually, it’s public record and most areas will know that homes that were built between 1970 and 1989 used asbestos for example. However, that information isn’t always easy to get ahold of, therefore, you should call in a professional to inspect before committing to a costly project such as asbestos removal. 

What You Need to Know About Asbestos Removal Projects

Asbestos is a building material that is often used in insulation, flooring, and other products. It has since been shown to be damaging to health, including the lungs, and it has been declared unsafe for use in all types of buildings. As homes are renovated, and buildings are altered, asbestos is often removed as part of the process.

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Risks of Asbestos

The thin and minuscule fibers that create asbestos materials are easily inhaled. While they easily work into the lungs, they are then unable to be exhaled properly, keeping them within the lungs. They move during breathing and will bump into the inner lining of the lung, leaving a tiny bit of scar tissue each time. As this continues over the years, the lungs become more scared, and lung disease develops.

When it Should Be Removed

Despite the risk, there are sometimes when it needs to be removed and others when it can remain undisturbed. For example, when included in a flooring tile or within the walls, it will not release particles outside of that until it is disturbed or broken. Once this occurs, it needs to be removed for the safety of everyone in the home or building, and the sensitive nature often requires professionals like the team at Bison Asbestos to remove it. Asbestos must be carefully removed when planned renovations require it, when it is disintegrating and becoming degraded, or it has been broken in some way. 

How it is Removed

In many areas, it is legally required that anyone removing asbestos be properly certified and registered to do so. They have strict limitations on how it is to be completed and high safety standards for the location. The space that is being cleared of asbestos needs to be cleaned with a HEPA system and vacuum, as well as marked and sealed off from other areas. People who are working with it will be required to wear protective equipment, ensuring they will not have fibers on their clothing, hair, or inhaling it in any way. This gear will include respiratory protection to filter any air-born asbestos particles. The materials will also be wet before they are removed to prevent dust particles from occurring and causing them to become airborne. Each section will be removed and immediately bagged and sealed, and all items will be cleaned before removal from the site. As the location will be sealed off with negative air pressure, ensuring all pieces are contained. When removed from the site, it will go to appropriate disposal areas where it will not turn up in the general landfill. These precautions keep the area safe and protect the crew who are doing the demolition or removal and can help protect them from the development of lung disease, as well as ensure that once the work has been completed, the area will be safe for regular use. Renovations can continue normally after all occurrences of asbestos have been removed from the home or building.