Top Asbestos-Related Mistakes Made by Building Owners

Building mishaps can take varying dimensions and lead to disasters of unexpected thresholds. 

Arguably leading the pack in mistakes often made by building owners is to rule out the presence of asbestos in their properties, especially if they were constructed after 1980. This well-intentioned but obviously erroneous conclusion can be hugely catastrophic. As asbestos was extensively used in the 1950’s but later waned in popularity in the 60’s and 70’s, homes built in 1980’s and afterwards are expectedly not asbestos-laden due to court and government injunctions against its use. However, it’s largely a misconstruction to posit that all homes built after 1980 are asbestos free since many construction materials in use today are known to contain trace amounts of asbestos compounds.

The second misconception is that since asbestos use was discarded decades ago, the material would not be present in present-day building materials. However, the fact remains that asbestos is not mined in the United States, thus chances are high that they are still used in other countries with some imported products containing the material.

Another mistake is to ignore the need for building evaluation especially in cases where minor renovations are intended. While many projects can be done without the need to hire experts as online DIY videos are all yours in the taking for any task, the gold standard cannot be discarded. According to MKM Environmental in New York, getting an expert asbestos inspector before embarking on construction or renovation work, no matter how minor, is what you want in ensuring that everybody is safe. Not doing this inspection may not expressly lead to health hazards, but things can take an undelightful downward spiral if mistakes are made. And with possible legal and financial implications in the offing in such scenarios, erring on the side of caution by getting inspection done can only be a great idea.

Having completed asbestos testing with results returning positive, a rather careless DIY fan may plunge into removing risky materials without employing the services of an expert. It goes without saying that such decisions are disaster friendly. Thus, only professionally trained personnel should be invited to seal up or remove asbestos-laden materials in a building. You ultimately want a safe home, but that shouldn’t be traded for your safety too. 

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