Anyone that has ever moved into a new home knows that there is always a lot to be done. One of which, is checking the home for potential hazards. Because after all, knowing your home inside out is the key to making sure that your family is living in a healthy environment. Should you stumble upon asbestos within the confines of your walls, then there are a few things that you will have to know. And today, we will be discussing these important details.
Before you start opening up your wall, ask yourself whether asbestos removal is actually what you want to do. If you simply know that your home houses asbestos but there is no hole in the wall that could let the asbestos leak out, then you don’t necessarily need to go through the motions of removing asbestos. The only way asbestos can harm a person is through circulation. If it has nowhere to go, then there is no need to mess with it unless you want to simply get rid of the risk of an opening being created a few years down the road and exposing the inhabitants.
And while it sounds tempting to remove asbestos by yourself and completely legal to do so, it is not recommended. Hiring a professional to perform the asbestos removal for you is not only much safer, but will also ensure that mishaps are less likely to happen. If you decide to remove the asbestos on your own, know that this can only be done if you can do it in a week and the affected area is no bigger than 10m2. Wearing protective gear is mandatory, and asbestos removal should never be done without it. The material should be collected in tough plastic bags and labelled accordingly.
When dealing with asbestos, it’s important to know that some tools shouldn’t be used. Sanding discs, power tools and compressed air should never be worked with, as they have a high chance of worsening the situation. If you have found an asbestos leak and want to slow down the spread, it’s best to use a wet cloth over the leak. The water will hold the asbestos back a little, but should only be used as a band aid for the problem. Proper measures should still be used in the end.
There are many things you should take into consideration with asbestos. If your neighbors live close by, you should warn them before you start working with asbestos, as it could become a hazard for them as well. But the most important thing to know for anyone that is dealing with asbestos, is to proceed with caution. While it isn’t terribly hard to do, it can easily go wrong and give bigger problems than you had before. Follow the normal procedures carefully. Maybe even ask for advice to someone you know has done it before. And always keep your breathing mask up.