Have you found asbestos in your home? Read further to understand why is it dangerous and must only be touched by a professional asbestos removal expert.
Asbestos is a silicate, that is it is made up of elements like silicon and oxygen. There are six kinds of asbestos that can be identified by their color. All these six kinds of asbestos look alike in structure. They are thin strands of fibrous crystals that look like cotton candy. Around the 1900s innumerable demises due to lung problems were noticed around asbestos mining towns. As more and more people started dying, autopsies showed that these microscopic fibers of asbestos were causing breathing problems such as lung cancer, mesothelioma and pneumoconiosis.
Asbestos that was used heavily in construction of cemented roofs due to its fantastic thermal qualities and being extremely fire retardant. After 20th century the usage declined but are still used in some places. Even 10-15% of asbestos used in the cement roof of your house is extremely dangerous. The most alarming and dangerous aspect of asbestos is that it usually takes 20 to 50 years until the symptoms of asbestos related diseases begin to develop rapidly endangering their lives fatally.
Asbestos was highly used and is extremely toxic and was used widely in construction of building materials such as flooring, ceiling tiles, insulation, cements, joint compound etc. Asbestos cement sheets were once the most common used roofing products and they are still found in some or the other localities. As they deteriorate with time they become brittle. It then creates a greater risk of these asbestos fibers becoming exposed loose which ultimately puts people’s life at greater risk. Therefore, after understanding the extent of the danger that asbestos can cause, it is highly advised that its removal from your home permanently should be done by a reputable and responsible company.
The process of removal of asbestos cement roof is extremely tricky and since asbestos cement is highly fragile it’s cleaning can only be done by an expert. This removal of asbestos cement requires exquisite technique that involves skilled operatives. Though there are no legal restrictions in removing asbestos cement roofs or any part of the house, specially while renovating the house, it is highly advisable that you do not do it on your own. Instead, you should hire a trustworthy contractor who will ensure that the materials are properly removed and disposed respectively in a safe and skilled manner. However, nowadays there are several requirements set by the federal, state and local authorities regarding the methods used to handle, remove and dispose the asbestos cement roof.
A competent contractor will make sure that the asbestos cement roof is removed and disposed safely as he is aware of the guidelines with its safety. The cost of this asbestos cement removal would vary upon the area that needs to be removed and disposed. Here it is advised that you must hire a specialist or technician who will provide you with all the required information and the estimation of what this entire process would cause. There are companies who are dedicated to making your home and environment asbestos free. They are also extremely helpful and they take charge of the entire process without you getting inside that loop of removal and disposal of asbestos cement roofs and areas. Instead of risking health of you and your loved ones it is better to contact these specialist and technicians who will get the job done right and you can put your mind at ease and live a healthy life.