By now, every homeower should be fully aware of the dangers of asbestos due to the fact that it can be found in a wide range of building products from the roofs and walls and right down to the floor tiles. An exposure to asbestos especially when disturbed can be life threatening as it can lead to a plethora of health issues which includes lung cancer, mesothelioma, asbestosis and lots more.
Asbestos are more dangerous when damaged or disturbed, but if they’re found in a great shape and are left undisturbed, then asbestos containing materials poses little to no threats. This dangerous material can be found in a large variety of insulation. And when compared to batt insulation, loose-fill insulation can be highly dangerous when it’s not installed in the right way. When poorly done, several particles of the asbestos can be released inside the wall or around pipes. As a result, insulation becomes a big worry that most homeowers will face down the road.
Homes that were constructed before the 1980’s commonly features steam pipes, hot water pipes as well as furnace ducts insulated with asbestos containing materials. And this is primarily because there’s no other fire retardant, thermal as well as acoustic insulator like asbestos that’s as effective and affordable as it is. However to really know if your building’s insulation is made with asbestos containing materials, you can take the following steps:
✓ Find out when your house was built. If it was constructed or renovated before the 1980’s then it’s likely to contain some asbestos materials.
✓ Although this is not advisable, but if you plan on checking the insulation by yourself, you should ensure to put on protect equipment such as goggles, gloves, masks and a safety suit.
✓ Check for insulation available in the building. The asbestos containing insulation in both batt and loose-fill types are grey-coloured so this shouldn’t be too hard to spot.
✓ Examine the pipe coverings especially the blanket type and cardboard coverings.
