Where is Asbestos found?

Asbestos is a hazardous substance that is caused by silicate mineral that can be woven into fabrics and is used in fire-resistant and insulating materials. If you are planning to knock down or renovate your house, then it is usually good to check for asbestos especially if you live an older home. Using an asbestos clearing company like us here at Clearaway Asbestos can make the job easier for you so you don’t have to worry about it.

Asbestos can be found in any industrial or residential building built or refurbished before the year 2000. It is in many of the common materials used in the building trade that you may come across while doing your building work. Older buildings can contain asbestos from materials used when the building work took place. Some construction companies lined ceilings, walls, roofing and even water pipes with asbestos. Identifying asbestos containing materials before any work commences is essential before any work begins.

Why do I need to remove asbestos before starting my home renovation?

 

Asbestos is responsible for over 5000 deaths every year. Younger people, if routinely exposed to asbestos fibres over time, are at greater risk of developing asbestos-related disease than older workers. This is due to the time it takes for the body to develop symptoms after exposure to asbestos. One of the most dangerous aspects of Asbestos is that it is a friable material; meaning it can easily crumble. When this happens, the deadly fibres are released and become airborne. Exposure to asbestos can cause four main diseases:

  • Mesothelioma
  • Asbestos-related lung cancer
  • Asbestosis
  • Diffuse pleural thickening

It can take anywhere between 15-60 years for any symptoms to develop after exposure, so these diseases will not affect you immediately but may do later in life which is why it is so important to get the asbestos check out in your home.

If you start a building or renovation project without checking for asbestos first, then you could be exposing yourself and your family. The particles spread very easily around your home so need to be contained as soon as possible. There are also different severities of asbestos, and some jobs may be easier to remove than others so it is always best to get a professional out to check out the situation.

How can you remove asbestos?

You should not try and remove the asbestos on your own without getting an inspector out first. It is very dangerous, and you need to get a professional company who follow all the safety regulations to inspect it for you to see the severity of the case. All of our workers here at Clearaway Asbestos will have received proper training to complete a professional job.  They will be wearing full safety equipment to protect themselves. This will include a face mask and a suit to cover all their exposed skin. They will seal off the areas where the asbestos has been found in. This will prevent the fibres from circulating around your building and to reduce asbestos contamination throughout the area. They will then go through the process of locating and removing the asbestos from the area and disposing of it safely. It can pose a health hazard if it is not handled properly during the demolition process which is why it is always best to get professionals in.

Asbestos fibres are hard to identify as they are not easily visible to the human eye so will need to be tested on to identify the substance. Therefore, hiring us here at Clearaway is a good method to remove your asbestos as you get the testing and removal all in one service.  For more information on our services, check out our website or contact us today.

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