Spring Cleaning, DIY, and Asbestos Exposure
With spring cleaning right around the corner, you need to be wary in homes built or renovated before the 1980s. These homes could contain asbestos, a harmful carcinogen known for its cancer-causing properties. Asbestos can hide in many different places around the home including cement, floor tiles, insulation, walls, and pipes. When choosing to take out home materials, always be wary and assume the materials are made of asbestos. Once disturbed, asbestos fibers can be released into the air and lodged in the lungs and other tissues of the body. Over time, the fibers cause DNA changes in cells and lead to lung cancer, mesothelioma, and other cancers.
When choosing to clean and renovate your home, you must be wary around certain areas that could contain asbestos. There could be a wide range of asbestos products in your home. This can include paint, floor tiles, vintage appliances including ovens, heaters, clothes dryers, and refrigerators. Other materials that could contain asbestos include cement asbestos board siding/undersheeting, insulation, felt backing (flooring, roofing, wall), popcorn ceilings, and textured paint. Asbestos has been phased out of newer products in the United States, but salvaged and vintage appliances and building materials may contain the toxic mineral. Some imported materials have also been found to contain asbestos including roofing, siding, and caulking.
Asbestos can be found in many areas around the home. Asbestos containing materials can be found on or near:
- steam pipes, boilers, and furnace ducts
- Resilient floor tiles (vinyl asbestos, asphalt, and rubber)
- Cement sheet, millboard, and paper used as insulation around woodburning stoves and furnaces
- Door gaskets in furnaces, wood stoves, and coal stoves
- Soundproofing or decorative material sprayed on walls and ceilings.
- Patching and joint compounds for walls and ceilings
- Textured paints
- Asbestos cement roofing, shingles, and siding
- Artificial ashes and embers sold for use in gas-fired fireplaces
- Fireproof gloves, stove-top pads, ironing board covers, and certain hairdryers
- Automotive brake pads and linings, clutch facings, and gaskets
If you think that asbestos is in your home, it is best not to panic. Leaving asbestos containing material where it is undisturbed is the safest way to handle it. If material is in good condition, it will not release fibers. Look for wear and damage if you think a material contains asbestos. Do not touch it, instead look for signs of damage like tears, abrasions, or water damage. Damaged material can release toxic fibers. This is especially true if you often disturb the material by hitting, rubbing, or handling it, or if it is exposed to extreme vibration or airflow. Limit access to the area if you can and do not disturb the material any further.
When in doubt, avoid asbestos containing material and contact a professional to test for asbestos. Hire a trained professional that is trained, experienced, reputable, and accredited, especially when accreditation is required by state or local laws. Before hiring someone, ask for references from former clients. Find out if they were satisfied with the work and ask whether the professional has handled similar situations.
Were you exposed to asbestos and later diagnosed with mesothelioma or lung cancer? Contact us today to see if you could be entitled to compensation. Call 412-471-3980 or fill out our contact form and a member of our team will get back to you as soon as possible.
