Asbestos Hazards in Home Renovations
Many homeowners do their own home renovation projects. Unfortunately many are unaware of the dangers that can be lurking, such as asbestos. It is common to find asbestos in older homes and buildings constructed prior to the early 1990’s. Homeowners are often surprised to hear it is in their home.
Asbestos left undisturbed is no health concern to you. However; should you start to remove it on your own, that is when you may run into issues. It is so important that you DO NOT attempt to remove asbestos-containing materials yourself. What many people do not understand is the very serious health risks involved in “DIY” home renovations. These risks include breathing in microscopic asbestos fibers which can cause lung diseases and cancers such as Mesothelioma.
You likely know someone, whether friends or family, who had popcorn ceiling in their home and wanted it gone. Rather than hiring a company to come in and remove it, they chose to remove it themselves. Little do they realize, they are releasing millions of tiny microscopic asbestos fibers, thinner than a hair, into the air. Wearing a basic mask you find at your local hardware store will not be enough to protect yourself, your home, and your family.
At Stutters Disaster Kleenup, we pride ourselves in doing removals correctly, efficiently, and most importantly – safely. This means we will have samples taken and have it tested first to see if it is containing. Following a positive result we will arrange for our trained RISK team to come in. They will set up a complex containment area and a 3-stage decontamination shower, to ensure that no particles remain in the air inside of the containment zone. We will have a third party hygienist do an inspection and give the go ahead to proceed safely. Our team will then begin spraying down and scraping off the popcorn ceiling. We will remove all debris, washing walls and floors. We will ensure safe air quality has been attained. When the air is clean and approved once again by our third party hygienist, the crew will then remove containment areas and all debris from the site. After we are finished you can rest assured that you’ve made the best possible decision!
The following diagram from WorkSafe BC will help you understand where asbestos can be hidden in our homes.
Call in the professionals at Stutters Disaster Kleenup to take care of your renovation needs. We are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. We can be reached at 1-877-763-1540.
Related Blog Posts:
Acoustic Ceiling Tiles May Contain Asbestos
Asbestos Can Be Found in Stucco and Plaster Applications