Hiring Asbestos Removal Companies - Better Safe Than Sorry

If you are thinking of buying buildings and other properties, you might want to make sure that the place is safe first by having asbestos removal companies evaluate the place for asbestos contamination. Having asbestos in the workplace and causing health problems in the future will just result to asbestos lawsuits in the future, so better do the right thing now. In doing so, hiring any of the reputable asbestos removal companies in your area must provide you with complete services including pre and post demolition asbestos surveys, sampling of air, testing and monitoring, and quality control of asbestos abatement projects.

However, in order to minimize costs, you may try hiring an independent contractor for the inspection part and another one for the removal of the asbestos. Having both jobs done by one of the asbestos removal companies in your area might just offer conflict of interest, so it's better to have a separate inspector do the inspection before and after the removal work is done by another company. This will help provide quality control as well.

If the property being bought will be turned into a business office in the future, or a place where people will converge, having asbestos removal companies do their job will also eliminate the possibility of asbestos lawsuits in the future by making sure that the location will not pose as a health threat to the people that it will house in the future.

Remodel Your Home Via Asbestos Removal Contractors

The best way to remove asbestos while remodeling your home is to hire asbestos removal contractor leading a team of certified professionals. There are many asbestos removal contractors who undertake the projects of asbestos removal; therefore you should consider the following tips before hiring an asbestos removal contractor so that you should not get into the wrong hands.

You should make sure that the workers of the contractor will be taking various precautionary measures like placing the asbestos materials in sealed packets, disposing of the asbestos waste to the areas which can accept the hazardous waste, etc. while undertaking the work at your site.

Also make sure that the workers will be using safety equipment like respiratory masks, full body protective clothing, gloves, etc. while removing and disposing of asbestos wastes.

It is advisable not to make complete payment in advance for the entire project. It is, basically, a strategy to have a control over the contractor till the end of your project.

The fibrous crystalline structure of asbestos which makes it heat resistant, insoluble, mostly inert and very strong is what made it so popular for various applications. It is however its stability and friability in addition to its lack of odor that makes it so dangerous. Asbestos takes a very long time to degrade in the environment and it does not evaporate in air. It can take centuries for asbestos to degrade naturally.

Friability is an indicator of how easily a solid can be crumbled or pulverized with very little effort e.g. finger pressure. Due to the friability of asbestos its fibers can be easily released into the atmosphere and can result in significant health problems and even cause death. Diseases commonly associated with the inhalation of asbestos fibers are asbestosis, mesothelioma, lung cancer and non-malignant pleural disease. Asbestos is often mixed with other materials when used in the building industry and it is when these other materials degrade or when maintenance work is carried out that those asbestos fibers can be released into the environment. An asbestos removal company will then need to be engaged in order to safely remove asbestos.

Ceiling, door and window panels were made out of asbestos and it was also used in a flocking process to add fire resistance too hard to reach areas in buildings. Cement sheeting, floor tiles, pipe insulation and spray coating also involved the use of asbestos. The asbestos fibers do not pose a risk if they are not airborne as they cannot be inhaled. Asbestos removal processes therefore usually involve a method that prevents dust formation so that fibers do not become airborne and contaminate the environment. Processes such as wet stripping or sealing are employed by asbestos removers as they do not involve dust production.

Despite knowing the harmful effects of six carcinogenic asbestos minerals, manufacturers and governments decided that the benefits were greater than the possible harmful effects. Consequently, the use of asbestos became widespread after World War II, especially in building materials. Now homeowners face serious health hazards, financial burdens, and possible lawsuits due to the carcinogenic asbestos.

Health hazards

Although asbestos is not dangerous when it's in good condition, it's very dangerous when the fibers have deteriorated or have become airborne. The small, nearly invisible fibers can easily be inhaled or embedded in bodily tissues when they become airborne or are disturbed by vibration. Exposure to high amounts of asbestos for long terms can cause asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma. These are all incurable, mostly fatal diseases which may not develop symptoms until 15-40 years after the exposure occurred. Recent research has suggested that asbestos may also cause or aggravate breast, ovarian, prostrate, and laryngeal cancers and pleural plaques.

Financial and legal concerns

Having asbestos in the home can also create numerous financial and legal concerns for the homeowners. By law, the homeowner can be held accountable for any harm due to negligence that befalls someone entering the home. Not taking proper measures to warn people of possible asbestos exposure or to prevent people from being exposed can be considered as negligence. Even if there weren't any lawsuits, the homeowner would have to pay very expensive medical and mostly likely funeral expenses if a member of the family became ill due to asbestos exposure.

Having asbestos in the home also makes it more difficult for the owner to obtain insurance and loans or to sell the house. Many lenders, insurers, and realtors charge higher fees for their services when working with older homes and newer homes that are known to have asbestos in them. Others simply refuse to work with older houses due to the asbestos factor.

Do-it-yourself vs. professional services

If the asbestos is removed, repaired, or abated, then the work should be performed by a professional contractor. Any amateur attempts may create a higher health hazard for the entire family and community. The work requires numerous, expensive safety measures to be taken, including inspections, work area containment, and special equipment and clothing. The attempt to save money could eventually cost someone their life.

Cost

It's expensive for the contractor to set-up and clean-up, even for minor tasks, so they usually charge homeowners a minimum fee. It can cost around $1,500-$3,000 for even a minor abatement project in a home. On top of the set-up and clean-up fees, there's the cost of pre-inspection, sample testing, labor, materials, and re-inspection. It's even more expensive if asbestos removal is required.

Abatement vs. removal

Homeowners generally have a choice of leaving the asbestos alone, taking abatement measurements, or removal. It's highly recommended to leave asbestos alone if it's in good condition. However, the location and amount of damage to the asbestos will be the primary deciding factors between abatement and removal.

Abatement measures are generally less expensive and may reduce the health hazards created by working with asbestos. The abatement measures can either be encapsulation (sealing or binding the fibers with a sealant) or enclosure (covering or surrounding the asbestos to prevent release of the fibers). Either method can be used for major or minor repairs. The cons to abatement measures are that the asbestos remains in place and may need repairing or removal at a later time. The abatement measure taken may make later removal and repairs more difficult and costly.

Types of Asbestos Removal

Asbestos is a fibrous material that is widely used in the construction of houses, commercial centers, public buildings, ships, and motor vehicles. This substance exhibits remarkable resistance to high temperatures, fire, and steam-making it an ideal ingredient in the manufacturing of insulation materials.

This mineral has been used in major industries since the Industrial Revolution, but it was only in the 1960's that the public has been made aware of the possible health hazards of asbestos. Asbestos easily breaks into fibers and particles that are as small as dust, which can be inhaled and ingested. However, despite our bodies' ability to inhale asbestos particles, the lungs cannot expel them on their own. These fibers and particles accumulate in the lungs-and they are sharp enough to puncture and penetrate the lung tissues and will cause scarring.

This is why the removal of asbestos materials is very important, especially if you live in a house or building built before the 1960's, and most especially if you are raising small children. The latency period of asbestos-related diseases can last up to thirty years-and if your children are constantly exposed to asbestos materials, they will suffer from the effects in the prime of their lives.

Generally, there are four classes of asbestos removal. The first class (Class I) is the most dangerous of asbestos abatements. Class I removal includes the disposal of thermal system insulation and asbestos materials, usually by using a special spray or a trowel. The second kind, called Class II, removes all asbestos materials that are not used for thermal system insulation. Materials that qualify for Class II removal include wallboards, roof tiles and sheets, floor tiles and sheets, and mastics used in construction.