Finding Asbestos in homes built prior to the 1980s is a real risk for many homeowners. Although asbestos was once highly praised for its strength and heat resistance properties, it has since been banned from the construction industry due to health risks associated with its presence.
Once a ubiquitous material used throughout the building industry, keeping an eye out for Asbestos can be critical in maintaining safety and health in homes today. This blog post will discuss where to look for asbestos in your home or building and how to recognise it.
Where Can I Find Asbestos in Homes or Buildings?
Finding asbestos in the home or building can be a tricky task. Although it can often be found in many places in your home or building, including insulation around pipes and ductwork, acoustical plaster, ceiling tiles, roofs, siding, fireproofing material, vinyl floor tiles, sheet flooring, some adhesives used for floor tiles or other floor coverings. Additionally, textured paint coatings on walls and ceilings may contain asbestos. It is important to note that asbestos may not always be visible. If there is suspicion that a material contains asbestos fibers, one should take samples for testing.
How to Check for Asbestos in Home
When undisturbed, asbestos-containing materials are generally safe since they do not release fibers into the air. However, when disturbed by renovating or other work activities such as sanding, drilling, cutting or sawing, it can become hazardous by releasing microscopic fibers which can be inhaled into the lungs.
To determine whether a material contains asbestos without having to take samples for testing, look for certain characteristics such as texture (a sandy consistency), colour (white/gray/brown), age (was installed prior to 1980) and brand name (many products containing asbestos had “asbestos” printed on them). If doubts persist about asbestos content, seek testing by a qualified professional.
Call the Experts
Whether you’re renovating or demolishing a house, it’s vital you hire an asbestos removal contractor. You can trust our expert team at Brajkovich Demolition & Salvage to safely remove asbestos from your property. Based at Upper Swan, call us on 08 92278222 for a free quote.
