There are several things that you use or consume that may prove to be dangerous for you and your family. Many a times you may know that something is dangerous for your general health. Nonetheless, you still continue to use it either out of habit or compulsion. One of the most dangerous materials that can cause large scale damages to your and your family’s health is asbestos. It is true that simply by looking at something you will not be able to tell whether it contains asbestos or not, unless it is properly labeled. The best bet is to treat something to contain asbestos if you are doubtful about its contents.
Way to Identify If Different Materials Contain Asbestos or Not
It is always a good idea to get your home inspected in order to determine if it contains asbestos. This can only be done with the help of accredited and trained asbestos professionals. There are 2 situations wherein you should get your house tested for asbestos. Firstly, when you plan on remodeling your home. This is simply because remodeling can easily disturb the various building materials. Secondly, when the building materials of your home get damaged. These include insulation that falls apart and crumbling drywalls.
When you hire an accredited and trained asbestos professional at Irwin Asbestos Management, it will collect samples of your building materials for analysis. This will help him ascertain if there are asbestos in the materials or not. Professionals will know for sure what to look for when they test the building materials. It is important for you to remember that the chances of your health being subjected to risks increases if the fibers are released from the materials. Sampling can prove to be more dangerous than simply leaving the materials alone even if collected the right way. Thus, it is always better to allow professionals to collect the samples rather than collecting it yourself.
Some Do’s And Don’ts for You
- Always leave undamaged materials, which may contain asbestos, alone.
- Make sure to keep all activities to the bare minimum in those areas that have damaged materials which may contain asbestos. Prevent kids from venturing into those areas that contain materials containing asbestos.
- Do take proper steps to ensure not to damage any asbestos-containing building materials.
- Do not make the mistake of dusting or vacuuming or sweeping any debris that may contains asbestos.
- Never sand, saw, drill holes or scrape in materials that may contain asbestos.
- Do not try to level or even sand asbestos flooring or even its backing. When it is time for replacing asbestos flooring, always try and install a new floor that will cover it.
- Always allow professionals to do major repair work or even remove asbestos, since they are properly qualified and trained in handling it. Even minor repair and sampling should be conducted by professionals.
- Do not make the mistake of using brushes or abrasive pads on various power strippers in order to strip wax from asbestos flooring. It is also important for you to remember not to use a power stripper on any flooring that may have asbestos.
If you want to learn more about our blog, please click here.