Everything You Need To Know About Asbestos Removal In Auckland
Asbestos was used in many construction projects all around the world because of its many redeeming properties. However, it’s come to light how dangerous it is to be exposed to any amount of asbestos, and has since stopped being used in construction. Currently, asbestos removal specialists in Auckland work tirelessly to remove any asbestos found in homes and buildings. Here is everything you need to know about asbestos and how experts remove or repair it so that you’ll have peace of mind if you happen to find it in your home.
Identifying Asbestos
Asbestos is a naturally recurring mineral. It was widely used in construction because it’s cheap to buy, highly effective, fire retardant material. It’s also great for heat and soun d insulation. Between the 1940s and the 1970s, many businesses used it in home construction as well as when manufacturing various household items and vehicle components. This is quite worrying because we now know how dangerous it is to be exposed to asbestos.
In its compact form, asbestos looks like nothing more than a rock. However, when put under pressure it splits into microscopic fibres. When asbestos is disturbed, minuscule fibres become airborne and if inhaled will damage the lungs. Asbestos causes two main illnesses – asbestosis and mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a form of lung cancer, with it’s only cause being exposed to asbestos. Asbestosis is a type of pulmonary fibrosis, which causes scar tissue to build up in the lungs. Although asbestosis is not a form of lung cancer, it causes lifelong breathing problems and makes the lungs much more susceptible to types of cancer.
Asbestos Found In Common Building Materials
Unfortunately, asbestos has not only been used in the production of homes. It is also present in many building materials kept in stock after the ban, and many of these were still sold and distributed even after dwellings were being built without any asbestos-containing materials. Fortunately, most of these items are harmless if the asbestos they contain remains undisturbed, it will only pose a risk if they’re exposed to the air or disturbed. You might find asbestos in your stockpile of:
- Some forms of paint
- Fibre cement sliding panels
- Some types of wall plaster
- Asbestos heavy duty corrugated panels
- Siding materials
- Flat roofing materials, sometimes in roof shingles
- Vinyl floor tiles and adhesives, and some linoleum
- Attic insulation
- Window glazing and caulking
- Some wood and concrete adhesives
How Much Asbestos Could There Be In Your Home?
Unfortunately, how much asbestos could be in your home cannot be predicted. However, it’s likely to be more than you think. If your home was built before 1975 and you’ve never renovated, how do you know that it doesn’t contain asbestos? If you suspect that certain parts of your home are toxic, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Until you get an inspection, make sure to avoid those areas and limit access to them as well.
If you find asbestos in your home which has been damaged or exposed to the air, you should call an asbestos removal in Auckland services immediately. They have the experience, licensing and expertise to remove and dispose of it effectively so that your household, and others, are safe. Your neighbourhood should be inspected as well, and if you live in a development, chances are that all the buildings were constructed using the same materials, which means that all of them could contain asbestos as well. When the area is being examined, the inspectors will take samples for testing, and supply a complete assessment of the neighbourhood. If asbestos is found to be present, the inspectors will provide recommendations for correction or prevention, but eventually, all asbestos in the area will have to be removed.
Repair And Removal
Once asbestos removal services are called in, the experts will either decide to seal off the material or remove it altogether. Repairing it involves encapsulating it with an impenetrable cover or sealant so that there’s no risk of fibres becoming airborne. The sealant that is used coats the fibres, or binds them together to ensure that they don’t separate and infiltrate the air. This is how boilers, pipes and furnaces that contain asbestos are treated.
Many homeowners prefer containing asbestos than removing it. It’s the cheaper method, and it’s less risky. However, the asbestos will have to be dealt with eventually. For that reason, removing the hazardous material thoroughly will always be recommended as a long term strategy for dealing with asbestos in your home.
Hire A Contractor Or Do It Yourself?
Although it’s possible for you to remove asbestos yourself, it is rarely suggested. It’s safer to call in a removal expert. They have the necessary qualifications and experience to do the job properly, without causing more potential and unnecessary exposure. Asbestos removal experts are also certified to dispose of the material responsibly. As a layperson with no experience working with the content, how will you know if it’s been compromised or become airborne? If you do manage to remove it, do you know where to take it so that it never bothers the public again?
If anything goes wrong, your family, pets and neighbours could get exposed to it and become ill. It only takes a few moments of inhalation to create a painful lifetime of lung problems. Please leave it to the professionals.
No one wants to find asbestos in their home or to deal with what should be a safe space that could become be a dangerous one. Unfortunately, this is a reality all around the world, and if you find yourself in this situation, there are established ways to deal with it. When you suspect that asbestos is in your home, you should call local removal companies to deal with it immediately. Expert asbestos removal services in Auckland have the required qualifications, licenses and equipment needed for asbestos repair or removal so that you can leave the task to them. If you require asbestos removal services, contact JP Franklin today.
