Asbestos is a dangerous product, and one commonly found in many older homes. If your house was constructed in the 2000s, you likely do not have any asbestos exposure to worry about, but if it is older, you should be very careful when considering home renovation projects.
In older homes, asbestos can be found in many places including attic insulation, vinyl flooring, tiles, pipe insulation, sprayed coatings, drywall patching and joint compounds, textured paints and coatings, caulkings, duct tape and boiler insulation just to name a few of the thousands of building material asbestos was used in.
Asbestos comes in various forms – it may be blue, brown, or white. It can be mixed with many materials making it hard to identify.
One of the key ways of knowing if you are at risk is to know the age of your home. If it was constructed priot to 1990, you should automatically be suspicious.
If you suspect asbestos, it is vital to not deal with it on your own. Never disturb materials that contain asbestos and stay away from any disturbed materials. Contact an asbestos abatement company to properly remove and dispose of this hazardous material, to keep your health and safety ensured.
Asbestos is something every homeowner should be aware of, and take precautions against. Never set out to do a DIY project without knowing whether you are at risk of asbestos exposure. Act on all suspicions of asbestos, and familiarize yourself with what some forms of asbestos look like. If you are unsure, it is always better to call in a professional asbestos consulting company to take samples of suspect material and have it identified.
