What is Asbestos Testing and Why is it Important

Older homes are great, and many people would rather live in an older home. But one issue that comes with an older home is the possibility that it contains asbestos. Asbestos, which is a natural mineral, was used in numerous building products in the U.S. up until about the 1980s. After that, it was banned because it was found to cause lung problems, including a type of cancer. In its inert state, asbestos is not a health issue. But when it is disturbed, such as through a renovation project, it can disburse fibers through the air than can be harmful if breathed in. For that reason, it’s important to have an asbestos inspection done in your home before embarking on a renovation project. 

The asbestos testing involves checking areas of your home for the presence of asbestos. A licensed contractor will examine the areas of your home where your project is and take samples of things such as ceiling and flooring tiles or insulation to see if asbestos is present. If asbestos is found, then it will need to be removed before renovation can start. 

A licensed contractor needs to do asbestos removal. Such a contractor will done protective gear and remove all products from your home in the area being renovated that contain asbestos. This can add cost to your renovation project, but it is necessary. Not only could not doing it be a health risk, it also could get you and your contractor in trouble with your local health department and lead to both of you getting hit with a large fine.  

What is Asbestos Testing?

If you have a home or building that has any form of asbestos and it is older than fifty years old, you need to have it tested by a professional to determine the extent of exposure that your home or building is currently experiencing. If your home is contaminated with this mineral, then you must have a professional do your asbestos testing so that you can get the compensation that you deserve. 

So, what is asbestos testing? It is when a specialist comes into your home or building and does asbestos testing to determine the amount of asbestos exposure that your home or building is currently experiencing. It can also be used to help determine how much you should pay out in medical bills or other damages that you could have gotten from having asbestos exposure. The main goal of asbestos testing is to determine whether or not there are any other forms of asbestos present in your home or building and if the testing was performed properly and is accurate. 

So if you or someone in your family has been exposed to asbestos in your home or building, contact a professional asbestos testing company today for the correct amount that you should receive. These companies are available around the clock and can help you out in identifying if you have been exposed to asbestos. If you have been exposed to asbestos, make sure that you contact a professional immediately so that they can come and test your home and determine the exact amount of asbestos present.

Essentials of Asbestos Training

Asbestos, if disturbed or crumbling is one of the more dangerous of building materials.

Asbestos was used in building materials such as roofing tiles, ceiling tiles, floor tiles, brake pads, and insulation. It is possible as many as 80 percent of all buildings including hospitals or schools contain asbestos.

 When does asbestos become a problem? 

Asbestos becomes a problem when asbestos is friable, which means that the asbestos is easily crumbled by hand, releasing fibers into the air. Some asbestos products such as floor tiles are not a problem, but asbestos insulation, asbestos roofing, and other products are a huge problem.

The tiny fibers of asbestos get into the lungs and cause cancer. Nearly 107,000 people die per year from asbestos cancers, and over 55 countries have banned the use of asbestos products.

 So how do you test for asbestos? 

Asbestos is not easily recognized due to the small fiber size of the material. In order to test, samples must be taken and then sent to a lab where they will be examined under a microscope. The testing follows EPA 600 guidelines and involves using polarized light.

Samples for asbestos testing should be in an airtight bag such as the use of a larger and a smaller ziplock bag for double protection both from the air and from the samples escaping.

The folks who test the samples will be wearing a respirator.

You need a sufficient size sample as well. In general, a couple of squares, or a couple full of teaspoonfuls is often sufficient.

When collecting samples, a respirator should be worn.

What Exactly is Asbestos? And How Can You Test for It?

What is asbestos? We have all heard the word. We all know that it comes from buildings that are old. Some of us have even probably joked about having asbestos in our house because it’s so old. But do you think every person that talks about it truly knows what it is?

To keep it quite simple, asbestos is woven into fire resistant material as well as insulating material, all of which sound like they have specific uses in homes. Well, they certainly used to but they are not allowed to build with asbestos anymore. The reason for this is because asbestos is very dangerous to humans and their pets.

Asbestos is a silicone based metalloid that has very desirable physical traits, however, due to those physical traits it can cause asbestosis and cancer in people. When asbestos gets old, or even when buildings shift and the “dust” of asbestos gets released into air, what is actually being released are the little fibers that it gives off. This is what causes sickness in people.

It is relatively easy to test for asbestos nowadays. If you suspect an area of your home to have asbestos you can buy an asbestos testing kit. This kit will allow you to seal up a piece or scrapping from your home, where you suspect the dangerous material is, package it up and send it to the address in the kit. The lab there will work out if there is any asbestos and send you back the results.

How Does Asbestos Removal Work

Asbestos is a dangerous carcinogen that was once heavily used as an home insulation but has been outlawed once it was identified to be a health risk. While asbestos is no longer used in homes, it does remain in many homes that did not have it properly cleared out after the knowledge of the dangers of asbestos became well known. If you suspect that your home has asbestos in it than it behooves you to take action to get rid of it. Here are some of the keys that are associated with removing asbestos from your home.

Have your Home tested for asbestos

The first point is to determine if your home has asbestos in it for sure. Hire a professional company to inspect your home and determine if it has asbestos in it. The first thing that they will do is test your home and research if it is likely to have asbestos at all based on the construction and ban date for asbestos in the area. If asbestos was not used when the home was constructed it is likely to not have asbestos in it. If there is a good chance the asbestos company will inspect open areas and crawl ways and drill holes in drywall and insert sensors to detect asbestos.

Removing asbestos from your home

Don’t play around with asbestos as it is particularly dangerous when it is being removed. Instead, hire a professional company with experience getting rid of asbestos who can come into your home and remove the substance safely and thoroughly without putting you and your loved ones at risk in the process.

Get more information at asbestos testing.

How Does Asbestos Removal Work?

Ever since the 1970s, we have learned in the United States that asbestos causes cancer. Now that we know better, we are trying to remove all the asbestos found in homes. Workers and others may still come into contact with the cancer-causing material. Asbestos was thought to be a good invention, which is why it was used in thousands of building materials, consumer goods, and other random products. Asbestos was a cheap, durable, and fire-resistant additive to manufactured products. Asbestos has since been banned in modern times.

Asbestos abatement is best done wearing protective gear that prevents the worker from breathing in particles. There are government-sponsored rules and regulations in place to prevent people from exposure to cancer-causing airborne asbestos fibers. Federal laws are set up to prevent the removal of asbestos in an unsafe manner. Some could unintentionally expose themselves or others to asbestos materials. Asbestos exposure can cause malignant mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancers, and asbestosis. Airborne asbestos cannot be seen with the naked eye, and inhaled asbestos lodges itself in the organs such as the heart, lungs, or abdomen, causing health issues many years later after the onset of exposure.

In order to prevent exposure to asbestos, a breathing apparatus has to be used so as not to breathe in the toxicity of the material. Asbestos was previously used in thousands of building products and in 1985, made up 20% of public and private buildings including residential apartment buildings containing friable asbestos. Asbestos can be found inside the following home materials, such as caulking, cement sheeting, concrete, electrical breakers, millboard, plasters, roof shingles/felt, sheetrock, siding, textured popcorn ceilings/ceiling tiles, vinyl floor tiles, and wiring. Asbestos was not only used in homes but in schools and company buildings, which is why in modern times, we try to remove it.

Read additional information at asbestos testing.

How Does Asbestos Removal Generally Work in a Home?

If you are going to contract with a company to take care of asbestos removal in your home, you will want to know how this works before you do.

Luckily, most companies dealing with asbestos removal carry out the removal using the same techniques. That means the following is what you can expect.

Segregating the affected areas — If you do not have asbestos in every room in your home, the areas where it is located will be taped off with large plastic sheets and tapes. This allows the asbestos to be removed from ceilings, under floors and in walls, without it escaping from one room to the rest of the house.

Air filtering — An air filter will also be set up that will filter the air in any room where asbestos is located. This allows clean air to be pumped in while air that may be contaminated with small particles of asbestos will be pumped out.

This keeps the room safe not just for you, but also for the technicians working there.

Once the rooms have been taped off and the air is being filtered, the asbestos removal will begin.

Bagging and disposing the asbestos — The asbestos that is being removed will be bagged in industrial strength garbage bags and loaded onto a truck. That truck will then be driven to a licensed disposal facility where the asbestos will be unloaded.

It will then be disposed of safely and legally.

Your home will be cleaned — The final step of any asbestos removal is the cleaning of your home. The company you hire will do this. That way they can ensure all asbestos has been removed, and your home is now safe to be lived in again.

At this point, they will also usually certify it to be asbestos-free. See asbestos testing for more information.

What Is Asbestos Testing? It Is Something That Will Make Your House Safe

What Is Asbestos Testing And Why Do You Need It?

If you have heard a lot about asbestos testing lately, and if you live in an older home, then you can know that this testing is something that you need because it will make sure that your home is safe. What it is, is when someone comes to your home and sees if there is any asbestos in there. Asbestos is dangerous, and if they find it, then you can have it removed and make your home safer.

Find A Company That Has Long Been Doing This Testing

When you find a company that has long been doing the same kind of work, you will find one that you will trust to do the work well for you. The company can see if there is asbestos in your home and give you a real answer about whether or not it is there. And, that same company can remove it if they do find it, which will be simple and easy for you. You have to pick the company that has been doing the testing for a while so that you will fully trust it to do what’s right.

Your Home Will Never Have Been Better

You may not have realized the harm that asbestos could cause before you started hearing about the testing that your friends and neighbors were having done, but once you realize how bad-for-you asbestos is, you will want to get your home tested. And, once it is tested and removed, your home will be better than ever. And you will feel good about your decision to stay living there because you know that everything is alright in your home. It isn’t bad for your health to be there anymore because the asbestos has been taken out.

What is Asbestos Testing?

Asbestos is a substance that was used as an form of insulation in homes and commercial buildings for many years. Over a period of time, it became known that it was dangerous namely due to a risk that when it was inhaled it became a cancer causing agent. Because of this, asbestos was banned and is no longer in usage.

The Lurking Threat

Just because asbestos was banned from usage doesn’t mean it doesn’t pose a threat. Asbestos was the most popular form of insulation in a home and it’s Use was widespread and notable. It is still installed in many homes and poses a major threat to homeowners around the world. The risk escalated when major work is done in a home in the form of a renovation or remodeling as the asbestos fibers are often kicked into the air and leads to a heightened risk of health issues. Further, many homeowners do not even know that there is asbestos present in their home as they bought their home significantly after the asbestos ban was put in place. Asbestos is commonly behind walls and it is unknown to a homeowner or person looking for themselves. That is where asbestos testing comes in.

Having Your Home Tested for Asbestos

If you suspect their is asbestos in your home you should have it checked by a professional firm that specializes in asbestos removal. Asbestos testing is best left to a professional with the experience to identify asbestos and who can verify that your home is asbestos free. This verification goes a long way if you are trying to sell your home and prove to a potential buyer that there is no asbestos present. Further, it can set your mind at ease and reduce the fear of bodily harm to you and your family from asbestos.

Asbestos Testing With Airsafe

Airsafe’s NATA connected and accredited the laboratory that uses the state-of-the-art materials and or equipment to get you a broad-definitive answer about asbestos themselves. We get you the outcome and results quickly for a very low fixed price that is extremely convenient per sample aka safety procedures and precautions as outlined in Fact Sheet 2 for Safe Practices for Homeowners and or apartments owners for Repairing or Removing Small and of course larger amounts of Asbestos produce and or Materials from the one and only asbestosawareness.com.au Wet the material to calm and or suppress the dust release.

Carefully contain and collect a sample using hand tools of any sort (sample measurement/size should be 5-100g). We recommend using pliers with the inside corners and or edges that are protected with a wet wipe. Place the material and or sample (including a wet rag or wipe if used for the specific subject or event) in a zip-lock plastic container and or bag. You can find almost anu of these materials and things at almost any supermarket around you or in the area of where you stay or live.

Double bag your sample in a measly second with a reliable seal-able plastic zip-lock bag. After sampling the material, you should use some paint to seal and confine any broken materials or damage with the major potential to cause airborne asbestos major dust. Asbestos identification and procurement must be done in a professional laboratory with the proper materials and or of course the right equipment. At Airsafe asbestos, we don’t leave out or outsource sample analysis to a side third-party asbestos major testing lab.

Instead, we have our very own state-of-the-art professional laboratory where we sample and analyze samples in major full detail, using a traitorous rigorous process and majorly advanced asbestos testing methods and subjects including such Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM) and of course the one and only Dispersion Staining (DS).