Professionally Inspecting Your Home Or Business For Asbestos Materials

For many years asbestos was used in many materials because it was good at blocking heat and insulating a building. Over the years, scientists and medical professionals have discovered that exposure to asbestos dust and particles can cause health problems and some forms of cancers that are hard to treat and can make a person extremely ill. Hiring a professional to do an asbestos inspection will allow you to determine if there is any in your building and then they can manage the removal for you.

Where To Look

Asbestos materials were used in many different ways before it was determined to cause health issues. Often you will find it in insulation used on furnaces, pipes, and ductwork inside a home or business, and this can create a situation that allows the furnace to spread the dust around the rest of the building. Beyond the insulation, asbestos can be found in ceiling tiles, some older wallboard, and many other places in the building. If you suspect there may be asbestos in the building, the first step is to have an asbestos inspection completed, and an air quality test should be part of the inspection. As the asbestos breaks down, the particles can be drawn into the furnace and then blown through the air duct to the living space or workspace of the building. Often this can go on for some time without the person living or working in the space ever being aware the asbestos is there. The only real way to determine if you have an asbestos problem is to have a professional asbestos inspection done on the entire house. 

If the inspector determines there is asbestos in the building, you need to have a professional remediation company come and remove it for you. Trying to work with the material yourself is dangerous. Some federal laws and regulations dictate how the material should be removed and where it can be legally disposed of to ensure it does not cause additional safety risks.  

Exterior Asbestos Concerns

The interior of your home or business is not the only place you may find asbestos. The material was also used in exterior products like siding tiles that were marketed as a fire-retardant that would better protect your home. These tiles are generally safe outside the house until they crack, chip, or break, exposing the asbestos to the air. A contractor working to repair the damaged tiles outside or anyone working around the siding doing simple tasks like maintaining flowerbeds or painting window frames could come in contact with a broken tile and, as a result, be exposed to the asbestos. Your asbestos inspection should include checking the outside of the property. 

Contact an asbestos inspection service for more information.