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Your house is meant to act as your safe zone if you will. It’s where you can spend time with loved ones, feel comfortable and at home, relax and truly enjoy life. So, what happens when the house you love so much, and that you feel so comfortable and safe in, could potentially be harmful to your health? For those who have asbestos in their homes, this is exactly the case, as their house is not only harmful, but it can potentially be deadly.

If you suspect your house may have asbestos, you can use this asbestos testing service. Also, it is absolutely essential you act immediately and follow all the correct steps. These steps will help ensure that everyone’s health is protected and that the asbestos can be safely and permanently removed from the structure.

How to Know if Your House Has Asbestos

The very first step you will want to take if you even have a small suspicion that your house has asbestos is to get confirmation. Checking for asbestos yourself isn’t something you can or should be doing, as it takes a qualified professional to come in and safely inspect your home. This is done by taking very small samplings that will be tested in a lab. The inspector may need to collect samples from more than one area in the home, as often it’s best to play things safe.

Unfortunately, there are no for-sure tell-tale signs that are visible to the naked eye, and this is exactly why it’s so important to have your home tested. In general, for those homes built more than 20 years ago in the United States, it’s a good idea to have an inspection done.

Where Does Asbestos Lurk?

You may be wondering what the most common places in the home are for asbestos, and there are actually quite a few. Some of the biggest culprits include tiling, caulk, vinyl floor tiles, adhesives, joint compound, insulation, cement piping, and ceiling tiles among others.

The Results are Positive for Asbestos

Obviously, the worst-case scenario is to have your test results come back positive for asbestos. At this point, it’s important you take all the proper steps to have it safely and professionally removed. Again, this is not a DIY project you can do yourself, as once the asbestos fibers become airborne, they can get into your lung tissue and cause very serious damage to your body, and lead to disease. Asbestos can lead to mesothelioma, which is cancer that is found in the lung cavity.

In order to properly remove asbestos from your home, special training and materials are needed. In some states, the abatement contractors (those who remove the asbestos), will even need to get a work permit before they can proceed. You want to be sure that anyone you hire has state training, and can show proof that they are EPA-approved. This blog takes a good look at managing asbestos and the steps you can take.

Don’t Take Chances with Asbestos

The most important takeaway when dealing with asbestos is that it is extremely dangerous to everyone’s health, so it’s never wise to take a risk.