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. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Asbestos Q & A from an expert Asbestos inspector

Q. What is asbestos? A.  Asbestos  is essentially a compound, a material that is made up of a group of minerals. The minerals that form asbestos are made of microscopic particles that can splinter into even small pieces. Q. Why is asbestos harmful when inhaled? A. Asbestos is harmful because when it is inhaled and splinters, it can become stuck in lung tissue. Q. What kind of symptoms does a person experience right after inhaling asbestos fibers? A. Some people don’t show any symptoms immediately, especially since the fibers themselves are so tiny. Over the long term, though, people who breathe in asbestos fibers may show basic respiratory distress, experience trouble breathing, have bleeding in the lungs and more. Q. What does an asbestos inspector look for? A. An  asbestos inspector  takes samples of the materials used in buildings as well as air samples in those buildings. They take care to get samples in safe conditions without disturbing the parti...
Read more

Home water testing

The water that comes out of your tap can contain a number of contaminants even when using a filter. Some may be deliberate additions that aren’t always ideal and others may be harmful. Examples include chlorine, lead, mercury, fluoride, nitrite and more. One of the biggest problems with water contaminants is that you take them in slowly. You may not even realize your health is impacted until you have a real problem. The best way to get ahead of this is to have your water tested before you develop an illness that could be connected to drinking water. There are other signs to watch for such as the water color, odor, taste or residue. Contaminants are sometimes additives that are present at levels too high for you. In more dangerous cases, contaminants can come from plumbing materials, water service lines or the water source. Water companies do test water at a system-wide level. They watch for areas of particular concern such as lead or other heavy metals. They also keep watch on ce...
Read more

Things to watch out for - From a qualified Asbestos inspector

The number one mistake that is typically made by a building owner is to assume that there is no asbestos because a building is newer than 1980. It is true that asbestos was used a great deal in the 1950’s and later and that use decreased over time. There were several court proceedings held in the 1960’s and 1970’s that examined the risks of hazardous materials in buildings, so asbestos was rarely used in large amounts in homes built after 1980. It is not true that no asbestos was used or that it was even illegal in all cases. Asbestos may be present in some imported building products The second mistake often made is to assume that asbestos was eventually completely banned and that it would not be present in something made in the present-day. Asbestos is not mined in the United States today, but it is still available for import and it is used in some products. Asbestos inspections may not be done if a renovation is a “little job” This issue is quite common and serious...
Read more