Asbestos can be a hidden danger lurking in any corner of your home. Your home may be clean and nicely decorated, but there could be threats where you least expect them. Maybe you have started some home renovations and disturbed past building work. Perhaps you want to extend part of your property and have discovered some building materials that you can't positively identify. Asbestos isn't normally in plain sight, but it often comes to light when work is being completed around your property, sometimes as a part of other materials.
One of the biggest problems with asbestos is that it frequently resides in vinyl tiles, brick cladding, flue pipes and other materials that you will want to replace from time to time. When you aren't sure whether what you want to remove contains asbestos, look for a company that conducts asbestos inspections. They can determine whether asbestos is present, and if it is present, it can then be safely removed by trained professionals.
Identifying asbestos
You might think that asbestos inspections are something you could carry out yourself, but that is rarely straightforward. Firstly, asbestos is often part of other home products, so separating what might be asbestos from the surrounding materials can be problematic. Secondly, in situations where you can see a suspect material, working out whether it is asbestos isn't easy. Asbestos is a general name given to a particular set of fibrous minerals. You might have amosite asbestos, crocidolite asbestos or chrysotile asbestos in your home. Each of these types of asbestos can look different to each other and without relevant experience, you may not know how to spot the difference. The problem is further compounded because several harmless substances resemble asbestos. Unless you were to take the time to test the material, you might remove a material that you could have safely left alone.
Why remove asbestos?
You might be wondering why asbestos is problematic. If it has been in your home for many years without causing a problem, why should you remove it now? In truth, undisturbed asbestos is normally harmless. However, when you work in your home and disturb the asbestos, the tiny asbestos fibres are freed to become airborne. Once airborne, the fibres can be inhaled, and it is then that they are dangerous. Asbestos fibres can cause multiple cancers and lung problems, such as asbestosis. It is always best to call a professional team to examine any suspect materials or to conduct asbestos inspections if you are at all concerned.
