Asbestos in Homes

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral substance. It consists of silicate material and is made up of tiny fibers. It can readily mix with any materials starting from cotton to cement. It is strong and durable and is highly resistant against chemicals, high temperatures and regular wear and tear. It is bad conductor of both heat and electricity and hence, an excellent insulating material. For all these unusual qualities, people started using asbestos in homes. It was in the period between 1940 and 1980, that using asbestos in homes became highly popular.

Uses

Today, almost none of the building materials and products contain asbestos fibers. In fact, buildings that are built from 1988 onwards should ideally be free from asbestos. However, those that are built before 1984 are likely to have many building products and insulating materials with asbestos content. Some of the common uses of asbestos are as follows:

• Asbestos insulation in homes can be found in the walls and ceilings in order to make them soundproof and fireproof. Even furnace ducts, boilers and steam pipe columns are also insulated with the help of asbestos paper tapes.
• Corrugated cement roofing, shingles and sidings are made up of cement with asbestos fibers.
• Weatherboards manufactured before 1984 is the main source of asbestos in mobile homes.
• Vinyl Floor tiles or asphalt and the tile backing and adhesive used for their installation often contain asbestos fibers.
• Joint compounds like caulk, putty, roof patching material used to have asbestos fibers as well.
• Other uses of asbestos are artificial brick cladding, flexible boards used to build eave linings, bathroom linings, textured paint, door gaskets, soundproofing material have all consisted of asbestos.

Health Risks

Asbestos used in home building materials is not dangerous as long as they are not broken or damaged. It becomes hazardous when dust particles fall off from asbestos materials and start floating around in air. This is because the dust contains thousands of microscopic fibers which are so light that they easily get attached to any surface of the household items.

When there is asbestos exposure for a prolonged period of time then it can lead to various diseases. In case, it is inhaled, the fibers get stuck in the lungs and will stay trapped there for several years. Pleural plaque is one of the diseases where thick patches of scar tissue develop on the lining of the lungs. Asbestosis is another condition where normal breathing of the affected person get impaired. If such people continue with asbestos exposure, then lung cancer may develop. Mesothelioma is another form of cancer that may affect such people.

Getting Rid of Asbestos

There is no way that you can identify for yourself whether your old home contain asbestos or not. You have to hire a qualified professional for this purpose. They take the sample of the building material and analyze it on order to determine the presence of asbestos. If the test is positive then the temporary measure that can be taken is to seal the surface so that it does not pollute the indoor air.

Removal of asbestos from home is a complicated task and should be done by an experienced licensed contractor. During the removal process, the work area needs to be isolated and the persons working there should protect themselves by wearing proper clothing, gloves and face mask. The asbestos surface should be dampened thoroughly with water so that dust particles do not float in the air. Use of power tools like grinding machine or drilling machine should be avoided for breaking asbestos material as they release a lot of dust. Rather, hand tools should be used.

After the work of removal of asbestos in homes is finished, it is important to dispose off the product safely. They should be wrapped up in a plastic bag and sealed properly. Even the clothing and other items that were contaminated with asbestos should be put in the bags. Label the bag with "Caution". Contact the local Environment Protection Authority (EPA) who will inform you about the designated area for disposal near your house. Throw away the bags in that area only and not anywhere around your house.