The Many Varieties Of Asbestos

Did you know that there is more than one type of asbestos? Many people are unaware of this and are basically shocked when they do learn about it. As it is, there is simply not enough information out there for people to really get all of the guidance that they need. The more you know about asbestos, including the various types that are out there, the safer you and your loved ones will be.

The Many Varieties Of Asbestos

You need to first understand that there are two separate families of asbestos. Within those two separate families are different kinds of asbestos. The two separate asbestos families are Amphibole and Serpentine. The main difference between the two families would be the structure of the mineral crystals. The mineral fibers that are in the Amphibole family of asbestos is sort of chain-like. The mineral fibers of the Serpentine family is more of layered sheets.

Within the Amphibole family, there is four different types of asbestos. These types are known as Amosite, Crocidolite, Actinolite and Anthophllite. You will find that Amosite is also known as "brown asbestos" and it is commonly found in the South Africian mines. Then you have the Crocidolite, which is sometimes referred to as "blue asbestos". This type of asbestos can be found in Canada, South Africa, the former Soviet Union and Austria. Actinolite is a rarer form of asbestos but still one to be cautious of because of the danger it presents.

As far as what you will find in the United States, you have Chrysotile, from the Serpentine family. This particular asbestos actually presents roughly 95% of all of the cases of asbestos in the U.S.

No matter which exact form of asbestos you are looking at, it is extremely dangerous. The asbestos fibers are very durable and should be approached with caution. These fibers are fire and heat resistant and they become airborne easier. Once these fibers are in the air, they can be trapped there for a long time. Even once the fibers settle, they are easily able to be stirred back up. When the asbestos fibers make it into the air and into the lungs of a person, serious damage is caused. However, the effects of the asbestos is usually not present for many years. In some cases, problems from the asbestos exposure may not surface for 40 years.

As you can imagine, this is a quiet, yet very deadly mineral that you have to be cautious of and that might just be harder to do than you think. This is because asbestos was used in hundreds of various materials that were used in the construction of homes for many years. If you have asbestos behind the wall you are probably fine. However, should you ever need to remodel or have a broken wall, you may be at risk for asbestos exposure and you will want to seek immediate help. Talk to professionals that are experienced in the proper removal of asbestos. If you are unsure as to whether or not your home contains asbestos, contact a professionally trained company to test your home. This is not something that you are going to want to wait on if you suspect that there may be asbestos in your home.

Asbestos Removal Industry: Cure Or Curse?

From wonder mineral of the ages to one of the worst banes of humanity. That, in a nutshell, is the story of asbestos. And the back story as well of one of the most controversial industries today, the asbestos removal industry.

The ancients considered asbestos magical and wove it into cloth. But it was during the Industrial Revolution that it began to be widely used for its heat- and chemical-resistant properties, mainly as insulation in turbines, boilers, kilns and ovens. It is also highly resistant to electricity. In the 20th century, there was even more widespread use of asbestos in buildings and homes, automobiles, and clothing. Asbestos products such as asbestos cement sheet walls and ceilings, and asbestos roof tiles were popular in home construction because they were believed to lessen the risks of fire. It has also been used in water and sewage systems. One of the heaviest users of asbestos was, in fact, the US military, especially the Navy, which used massive amounts in building warships and other vessels.

Asbestos Removal Industry

This was despite growing proof of the danger to health caused by asbestos exposure. Among the diseases linked to being exposed to asbestos are asbestosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma, a particular form of cancer directly caused by asbestos exposure, pleural plaques and pleural thickening.

Many large asbestos companies, in fact, continued to use it in construction and manufacturing well into the 1980s. They would hide their health hazard findings to get around the multi-million dollar lawsuits filed by victims of asbestos cancer. But as the evidence became cleared, government began banning the use of asbestos. Today, 60 countries have total or partial bans in place.

In the US, although the Environmental Protection Agency has no general ban on asbestos uses, it was one of the first pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act and its use in many applications prohibited by the Toxic Substances Control Act.

With so much asbestos in houses and buildings, the problem now became how to remove it safely. This gave birth to what is now the multi-billion dollar asbestos removal industry. Much of the asbestos used in buildings comes in what is called bonded form, meaning it is mixed in with a another material like cement that it is unlikely to be released in harmful levels unless disturbed or broken.

Friable asbestos on the other hand, can easily become a powder and be released in the air as dangerous crystals that can be inhaled. Its most common use was in fire retardants sprayed onto building and house walls.

Because asbestos removal is a dangerous business, all asbestos abatement and removal workers are considered professionals who need to undergo state-approved training and certification. They are strictly required to wear safety clothing and asbestos abatement equipment. DIY asbestos removal, while possible, is not advised.

However, the growing demand for asbestos abatement services has also fueled a debate about the extent of asbestos hazards or whether the asbestos removal industry is simply cashing in on popular fears. There are also concerns about unscrupulous asbestos abatement companies following the prosecution of contractors hiring undocumented workers to undertake illegal removal work, thus exposing people to potentially painful or fatal health hazards.

In the end, though, as the saying goes, better safe than sorry. With proper regulation and enforcement of laws, it is best to have an asbestos removal industry around to safely remove an environmental and health threat that has long been in our midst.

Flipping Houses and Asbestos

In the most recent real estate boom market, it became very popular for individuals to buy run-down houses in growing neighborhoods and fix them up making them look a thousand times better. This profit-heavy "industry" allowed many people to make serious amounts of money quickly.  

The entire enterprise of flipping houses revolved around making minor and major improvements to houses on a very tight time schedule. The houses were then re-vamped with modern fixtures, plumbing, and countertops and re-sold at a much higher price than the one at which the "flipper" bought them. 

While this was a great alternative to buying a home and tearing it down completely, it might have exposed a number of individuals who were heavily invested in the industry to asbestos. This is because many of the homes that were flipped nationwide were older homes that were actually built during the heydays of asbestos. The homes could have included asbestos in everything from the insulation that was torn apart when walls were torn down to the glue holding linoleum tiles in place in the kitchen. Wherever it was, there is a good chance that a flipper was exposed to asbestos at some point, particularly if he or she was flipping homes built prior to 1980.

The homes built in this country prior to 1980 were exceedingly likely to contain asbestos in at least some part of the home. This could be in the insulation, the flooring, the ceiling, or anything else. These are all products that are frequently shredded and torn down during the flipping process. What this means is that the asbestos was disturbed when the mallet went through the wall to make the master closet bigger. 

When the fibers are disturbed, they become dangerous. Asbestos is not nearly as dangerous if people know it exists and take steps to contain it or remove it properly. However, in flipping, people rarely take much time to stop and consider the potential for asbestos as its presence in homes is frequently unknown.

By just tearing through walls and gutting homes without inspecting everything for asbestos first, flippers across the country may have exposed not just themselves to the dangers of asbestos but also any contractor that performed work on the home as well. In addition to contractors, the home's new owners could also have been exposed to the deadly fiber. The fibers themselves are microscopic and could have been inadvertently left floating around the home.

Tips For Safety and Health

Home renovation is definitely a must especially for houses which are considered historic and traditional. Home owners who find joy in purchasing 30-year old houses or even older ought to know significant components of their valuable investment when it comes to home upgrade. Lead and asbestos are two of the most prominent contents found in properties that have withstood time and age. It is of utmost importance to look out for these two salient components in the house and know their implications in your health and quality of your home.

For instance, it is imperative to know what lead and asbestos are in order to know how to deal with them in the course of your home remodeling project. Asbestos is known to be a common and widely used insulation material for broilers and furnaces in older homes. This is due to its fire-resistant features and durability that made it a reliable and preferred material for houses. Asbestos is likewise used for roofing system, floors and wall sidings among others. However in the succeeding years after its popularity in the construction industry, it has been banned due to its threat on the health and wellness of the human body. Therefore, if you have purchased a historic property, it is important that you check your foundations and check for asbestos materials in your home.

Renovating your house ought to be taken with utmost care and caution especially if you doubt that you have asbestos flooring or walls in the house. Never touch a single tile or wall without checking your local building authority and securing permit for the said major construction. This is because asbestos is not at all harmful when it stays intact, however when cracks or breaks are in the surface, it is sure to send out hazardous asbestos dusts. These elements are the ones preferred to be of fatal threat to those exposed to air containing the dusts. Furthermore, asbestos materials are definitely not recyclable, which means that it is not wise to reuse them especially when found damaged or broken.

The best thing to do is to secure a permit from local authorities and hire a licensed asbestos abatement specialist for the removal of your asbestos-contained home. These experts have substantial knowledge and training to properly do the removal of these materials without the threat of damaging them and increase the chances of emitting asbestos dust that is extremely dangerous when taken into the body.

Another component in traditional homes is the use of lead for the painting and surface coverage of walls both in home interior and exterior. Lead-based paints are common yet hazardous to health. These are known to trigger cases of nervous breakdown, hearing loss and IQ degradation among others. It is definitely harmful especially for young children who have weak immune system. Hence, upgrading your home with lead paint also needs abatement specialist to do the job of removing the paint without scraping or sanding the surface.

Checking your home for lead and asbestos especially during home renovation is essentially important. It definitely guarantees your health for a productive and reliable real estate investment.