Asbestos Removal - Important Facts That You Must Understand

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For most of the twentieth century asbestos was a popular substance used in many building materials.
Because of its many great qualities such as heat resistance, fiber strength, and insulating properties, it was used in over 3,000 building products.
However, in the 1970s, when it was discovered that inhalation of asbestos fibers was the cause of several serious or fatal lung diseases, it was outlawed for use in those building products.
Nowadays, whenever there is a threat of asbestos fibers becoming airborne, asbestos removal or containment is necessary.
Asbestos is not dangerous unless its fibers become airborne.
Once released into the air they can be breathed into the lungs and cause mesothelioma or other serious lung diseases.
This makes it important to perform asbestos removal or containment whenever contaminated products are found.
If you are remodeling your home it's important to prevent any possible hazardous fibers from being released into the air.
This means that a licensed asbestos abatement contractor should be hired to do the work.
It's possible to perform the job yourself, but it is a very dangerous and dirty job and should only be done following strict safety laws and regulations.
If you are thinking about doing asbestos removal without the help of a professional, be sure to follow all laws, regulations, and safety procedures.
Failure to perform the job safely can lead to severe health concerns.
Many homeowners will undertake the job on their own in an attempt to save money, but they should realize that it is a very dangerous job and may not actually save them money.
Protective clothing, boots, gloves, respirators, and goggles must be rented or purchased.
In addition, there are several pieces of equipment that must be on hand as well.
Plus, you can never do the job on your own.
At least one other person must be employed as a helper.
The first thing that must be done when possible asbestos-containing products are found is to test the materials to determine if asbestos is actually present.
Sometimes the products are labeled as containing asbestos, but most of the time they must be examined in a laboratory for confirmation.
If the contaminant is present, it can often be left undisturbed without any threat to a person's health.
However, if the contaminated materials have been disturbed or have deteriorated, asbestos removal or encapsulation must be carried out immediately.
The job of asbestos removal is difficult.
There are several steps that must be followed to maintain the safety of everyone involved at all times.
The actual abatement process includes planning everything out in advance.
First, safety clothing and gear must be obtained and ready to use.
The area where the work is to be done must be sealed completely to prevent the escape of any asbestos fibers.
Ladders, scrapers, rags, containment bags, and other supplies must also be readily available.
All materials must be wet before asbestos removal is performed.
After removing any material it must be properly bagged and labeled before it is taken to a disposal area.
If you intend on doing the job of asbestos removal on your own, be sure to read and understand all of the safety regulations before beginning the job.
Get estimates from at least two asbestos abatement contractors to make sure you can actually save money by doing it yourself.
Sometimes it's actually cheaper to hire a licensed contractor than it is to rent all the equipment and do it yourself.
The best approach in most cases is to hire a licensed contractor to do the work.
They will also be able to do a final inspection after all work is done to verify that all hazardous materials have been eliminated.
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