Removing Asbestos From Homes

Asbestos is a kind of fiber that is made from a mineral material. This material was used extensively in the past to add strength to construction materials and to provide protection from heat in homes. One of the major characteristics of the material is that it can withstand heat quite well. Today it is no longer a common material used in homes. Products that contain it are required to have labels telling people about the asbestos content of the product.’

Asbestos Health Effects – Why is asbestos no longer used as commonly as it was in the past? Experts discovered that it has some serious effects on health. Workers who were exposed to great amounts of asbestos because of their work were found to be more prone to several types of cancer. Those who worked in shipyards were found to be at risk because they handled asbestos in their work and they were exposed to it quite often.

Don’t think that you are safe from this risk. While modern homes use very little asbestos now, those that were built in the past still have some parts of it that are made from asbestos. When these materials are disturbed because of some renovation or when they are replaced, asbestos can be released into the air exposing the people living inside the houses to the health risks posed by the material.

This is when asbestos is sawed, crumpled or grounded into powder form. The tiny particles can become airborne and once in the air a person can get it from breathing. The lungs can then be exposed to it. Lung tissues can be scarred and the particles can stay inside the body for an indefinite period of time.

Asbestos Products

– As mentioned earlier, asbestos products are no longer as common as it was in the past. The problem is when you are working with an older home and you are replacing some parts of it that were constructed using asbestos materials. It would help if you were extra careful with that, so as not to expose yourself to the high risks involved.

Here Are Some Parts Of The Home Where Asbestos Can Be A Problem:

The parts of the home that deals with heating such as boilers, steam pipes and furnaces. Asbestos is common there because it is a good heat resistant material.
Asbestos is commonly used for the backing of some types of floor tiles.
Insulation for different parts of the house.
Gaskets in stoves and furnaces.
Those are just some of the areas where asbestos can commonly be found.