If you recently purchased an old home in your community, you may wonder if the house contains asbestos in it. If the house still contains its original boiler, furnace, or floor tiles, it may harbor asbestos as well. Many boilers, furnaces, and flooring made in the past may contain asbestos in them. Learn more about asbestos and what you may do to detect and remove it from your old home below.
What Exactly Is Asbestos?
Asbestos is one of the most dangerous fibrous materials or substances known to this day. Asbestos can cause lung disease, cancer, and other ailments over time. In the 1970s, companies used asbestos to create, make, or protect a great number of products, including boiler paper tape, furnace blankets, and resilient floor tiles.
Companies used asbestos because of its versatility. Asbestos' ability to insulate appliances, buildings, and other structures made it the ideal material for construction projects around the United States. Asbestos is also fire-resistant.
Although you can inhale and ingest asbestos through your mouth and nose, you can't see it with your eyes. The substance is virtually invisible to the naked eye. However, you can ask an asbestos abatement company to help you remove the substance from your home immediately.
How Do You Remove Asbestos From Your House?
An asbestos abatement company can use special detection tools and testing equipment to locate the asbestos in your home, including your furnace or boiler closet and flooring. A company may also check or test the paint, plumbing pipes, and wall insulation in your house for signs of asbestos.
If a company's tools and testing equipment uncovers asbestos in your home, they'll abate your house. A company must follow strict protocols during the abatement process. The protocols prevent asbestos fibers and odors from escaping your home and entering the environment outside it. Asbestos fibers can become airborne once you disturb them.
A company will take the safest route possible to address the asbestos in your home. A company can remove the items from your home that contain asbestos and discard them in a place designated specifically for asbestos, or a company can isolate and seal the items in your home for you. If you plan to use your heating system in the future, you may want to go ahead and remove the boiler or furnace from your home. Even if a company cleans and seals the appliance, it may still contain asbestos fibers in it.
You can also choose to remove the floor tiles and plumbing pipes from your home. You can replace the items in the future.
Contact an asbestos removal service for more help.
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