Asbestos Testing in Your Home
Homebuyers frequently inquire about indoor air quality, and for good reason—the majority of Americans spend at least one-third of each day in their homes, so it is important to know if breathing the air could cause potential health issues.
Uncertainty exists surrounding things like mold, formaldehyde, dogs, rats, and other unusual aromas since many indoor air quality issues lack simply specified measures and can be difficult to examine or gauge effectively. Asbestos is one issue with indoor air quality that frequently arises in older homes and is a little easier to quantify. If you’re a house buyer, homeowner, or remodeler, you should be aware of the following information concerning asbestos.
How to Determine If Asbestos is in Your Home
You can ask an industrial hygienist or an environmental lab to evaluate your home if you want to find out if it contains asbestos. These contractors will frequently gather more than a dozen samples from the structure and adhere to a strict testing process. Once you obtain the results, you should be able to identify the components that contain asbestos. Most laboratories will also give you an abatement protocol for these materials.
What to do if Asbestos is in Your Home
It’s critical to comprehend a few fundamental ideas regarding the items in your home that contain asbestos.
The asbestos fibers typically won’t be able to become airborne if the material it’s in is not damaged. Since the asbestos will be contained within the construction material, there will be no health risks. For this reason, if you simply move in and live there, the majority of historic homes do not provide a health risk to the residents associated to asbestos.
When You Should Test Your Home
It’s likely that a home that was built before 1980 includes at least some asbestos. If you are remodeling, include a budget line item for lead and asbestos identification and remediation, preferably before purchasing the home. Home purchasers often have a short time frame in hot markets to complete their inspections and many of them continue with the logical assumption that the structure contains asbestos and that they will need to deal with it before renovating.
If you have any concerns, such as obviously damaged pipe, insulation, or ancient construction materials, conduct an inspection to look for damaged items that may contain asbestos and have these remediated or encapsulated. If you plan to remodel an older home, your exposure risks are substantially higher. Prior to construction, but not required before the acquisition, you should have a comprehensive evaluation performed by an industrial hygienist or environmental lab.
Are Certain Asbestos Utilized Construction Materials More Dangerous Than Others?
Yes. The asbestos fibers are not as thoroughly encapsulated by all old construction materials. Vermiculite insulation is one such substance. This loose insulation, which is frequently found in your attic, resembles tiny rocks or pieces of mica. Some vermiculite used in insulation was tainted with asbestos. Vermiculite asbestos testing has shown to be inaccurate, and this material can easily aerosolize, or become airborne. It’s advised to approach with care and assume that this product includes asbestos.
Over the last 30 years, GPW has built a reputation as a leading asbestos law firm throughout the country. GPW’s combination of evidence, experience, and expertise culminate in the aggressive representation of our clients. Contact us today for a free case review.
