Asbestos Exposure at Home

As most of us know, asbestos is a mineral fiber which is very commonly used in an array of building construction materials. More specifically, it is used for insulating the building and as a fire retardant. Asbestos, these days is a significant part of pipe and furnace insulation materials, asbestos shingles, mill board, textured paints and so on. In the recent past there has been an ongoing research on this material and it has been found out that this material may prove to be harmful for health. Obviously so, the main source is going to be your home and your workplace, if it does apply to you! But for now, let us deal with asbestos exposure at home.

Asbestos Prone Areas

Before we take a look at the effects or dos and don'ts related to asbestos exposure, let us see which areas in your house can be found to have asbestos.

• Base flashing, used as weatherproofing material around non-metallic exterior protrusions.
• Roofing materials
• Sand made from crushed rock
• Cement Siding
• Caulk, adhesives and patching materials and putty
• Linings of the fuse boxes
• Insulation Products
• Cement pipes
• Pipe Coverings
• Vinyl floor, wall covering and ceiling tiles
• Putty used around plumbing pipes.
• Millboard and Rollboard - flexible asbestos sheets
• Electrical wire insulating material
• Popcorn ceilings

These things are generally where asbestos can be found in a house. Although asbestos exposure at home is not limited to these areas. In addition to this, a few electrical appliances too like washers and dryers can be exposed to asbestos.

Avoiding Asbestos Exposure at Home

The best way to avoid asbestos exposure in home is to adopt newer and environment friendly methods of construction. If you are already living in building or rather an apartment which may be prone to asbestos exposure, getting it updated is recommended. Use recycled material for insulation - cellulose, poly urethane and cotton fiber. These things are essential to conserve the environment as a whole and to avoid health effects of asbestos exposure. Asbestos exposure at home can also be prevented by taking care not to cut, sand or rip materials having asbestos. Most importantly, look for even slight signs of asbestos exposure at home. These were the things which must have given you an idea what this whole deal with asbestos exposure is all about.

Dos and Don'ts for the Homeowner

Here is what you can do if there is asbestos in homes.

• Activities in any areas having damaged material, which may contain asbestos should be minimum.
• Get asbestos removal and major repair done by trained personnel, qualified in handling asbestos.
• Let the asbestos containing material be left alone. If it is not tampered, the fibers would not pollute the air.
• Avoid usage of abrasive pads on power strippers for stripping wax from asbestos flooring.
• Install new floor covering over an asbestos floor, if need be.

Finally, please take care that you take all the requisite care - using safety gear especially while dealing with asbestos. In case you identify asbestos exposure in a particular spot and are skeptical, call the trained professionals for dealing with.

Not using safety gear and getting exposed to asbestos, be it short term asbestos exposure or long term, it may lead to lung cancer, mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the chest and the abdominal cavity and asbestosis, where the lungs are scarred with fibrous tissue.

That was all about it! Asbestos exposure at home can be quite an alarming scenario, but it is manageable. You of course need to do the things required to deal with it as soon as you realize that there is asbestos exposure. Take Care! I sign off here!