If you have an older home, say built prior to the 1970s, you might have a nagging thought that your home could have asbestos in it. You’d be right to be concerned because asbestos was used quite a bit through the 1950s to 1970s. It really does have some amazing properties, such as resistance to fire and heat, high tensile strength, and sound absorption. So, if they learned asbestos was bad and enacted wide-scale reduction protocols back then, why are we hearing so much about asbestos removal only now? When exactly did we find out that asbestos was a health hazard anyhow?
The truth is shocking. It was suspected that asbestos caused lung problems as far back as the 1900s when asbestos mining towns began reporting a higher level of problems than other places. The autopsies showed the fibers in their lungs, yet production and use of asbestos didn’t stop. It was far too useful, especially in shipbuilding, to put an end to it, regardless of the potential for health problems. Fast forward 70 years, and public outcry finally succeeded in waging a war on asbestos use.
Although asbestos use stopped decades ago, there wasn’t a huge push to removing it. Part of that reason is that unless the asbestos fibers are disturbed and become airborne, they aren’t as dangerous to human lungs and health. So, why should you be concerned if you have an older home? The main time to be concerned is if you’re planning renovations where you could come in contact with and damage asbestos. The most common asbestos removal relates to building insulation.
Don’t tackle this yourself because the microscopic fibers are not visible. You need proper ventilation equipment for safe asbestos removal, and it needs to be disposed of properly. The safest thing to do is call us at Double D Construction Services, Inc. We handle asbestos removal for homes and business properties in the Winston-Salem, North Carolina area, with more than 22 years of experience doing it properly and safely.