Home Renovation Asbestos Concerns

Thinking About Doing a Home Renovation Project, but Worried About Where You Might Find Asbestos?

Over the past year with the “stay at home” orders, you are at home, your kids are home, EVERYONE is home! More than ever people are doing the only thing they can do, remodeling and rejuvenating their spaces. If you are anything like me, you LOVE those DIY shows. They make things look SO easy. But the reality is, for most of us, it is anything but easy. Did you know it can actually be dangerous? Let’s talk ASBESTOS.

What is asbestos?

Without getting into a lengthy history, asbestos is a fiber mined deep in the earth like granite and rock. Its use dates back to the Ancient Egyptians.

Why was asbestos used?

Asbestos is fire resistant, durable, non-corrosive, temperature controlling, and best of all blended easily with all other materials. Unfortunately, asbestos fibers have been proven to be cancer causing when inhaled. Inhaling asbestos fibers is the leading cause of mesothelioma cancer.

Most people hear asbestos, and they think, old houses, maybe popcorn ceilings. Did you know asbestos can be almost any place in your home, work, garage, or shop? From roofing, to flooring and in any structure built before 2004. Remember that part about “blended easily with all other materials?” Yeah, they put that stuff in everything. It was in roofs, siding, duct work, insulation, electrical, drywall and textures, vinyl flooring, you name it.

The good news:

In most cases asbestos is not leaking into the air just because you may have it. The time you need to worry about asbestos fibers is when you, or that fallen tree, disturb it.