If you suspect your home might need an asbestos inspection, keep reading to discover the steps to stay safe.
Canada banned the cancer-causing mineral officially in 2018. However, you might likely still have traces of asbestos in your home if it's more than a decade old. Illness caused by asbestos exposure isn't something to take lightly. It’s a slow-working mineral that's still causing diseases in people exposed up to fifty years ago. Because it doesn’t have immediate side effects, you won’t know you’re in danger until it’s too late. WHAT MAKES UP THE ASBESTOS IN YOUR HOME? Asbestos is a general term that encompasses the following six naturally occurring materials:
Amosite
Actinolite
Anthophyllite
Chrysotile
Crocidolite
Tremolite
Manufacturers revered these minerals and used them throughout the 20th Century because of their natural resistance to external factors like heat, electricity, and chemicals. IDENTIFYING ASBESTOS If you're planning a home remodel or renovation, you’ll need to get a professional trained in asbestos handling to collect samples to analyze and knows how to safely handle hazardous materials. If there's no damage and the building material won't be disturbed by construction work, you're in the clear to leave it alone and proceed. Some standard products that have contained asbestos in the past include:
Patching compounds
Cement sheets
Boilers and furnace ducts insulated with asbestos
Gaskets
Brake pads
Decorative material
Tiles
Roof shingles
Since the 1970s, the use of asbestos in residential homes was slowly phased out. But if you have a home built before or around 1980, the builders likely used asbestos.
TESTING POSITIVE FOR ASBESTOS
If the samples show asbestos in the building material, there's no need to panic. As stated earlier, if the material is in good condition, leaving it alone is your best course of action. By leaving it undisturbed, you won’t risk releasing the hazardous fibres.
On the other hand, if it becomes accidentally damaged, you should avoid the area and limit the amount of time spent near the damaged section.
Don't attempt to remove the material yourself. Call in trained professionals to get the work safely completed.
Certified specialists should always be the ones to handle any asbestos removal so that the fibres don't stray and cause potential lasting damage to others.
STAY SAFE FROM ASBESTOS – CALL BC HAZMAT INSPECTIONS
Finding asbestos in your home is always a cause for concern. But if you remember to follow the steps outlined above, you can be sure that you and your family will stay safe.
If you're worried that you might have asbestos or other hazardous materials in your home, don't hesitate to schedule a call with one of our trained specialists for an inspection and analysis today.
Located in Surrey we also serve the following regions: Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Richmond, Surrey, Langley.
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