So, your house has asbestos – you can just take it out right? Surely, there are some DIY instructions out there on the internet somewhere.
Well, while there probably are some of these sort of instructions, the last thing you want to be doing is removing asbestos from your home yourself. It’s a job best left to the professionals.
But, how do you even know if you home has asbestos, and what is asbestos for that matter? Keep reading to learn more about what asbestos actually is and why it should be removed in the first place.
What you need to know about asbestos
You’ve probably heard of asbestos, but it would be very understandable if you didn’t actually know what it was – after all, its been banned in Australia since 2003.
But, long before this ban, between the 1950s and early 1990s, asbestos was a material that was commonly found in building materials and used to build homes and buildings all over Australia, and the rest of the world.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral found in rock formations and is made of millions of tiny silicate fibres. These fibres are flexible, lightweight, super strong and have insulative properties, amongst many other benefits. Because of these qualities, it meant it was a desirable material for the building industry – it’s lightweight, insulative, and strong, what more could you need?
Asbestos can be classified as either friable or non-friable. Non-friable asbestos is when these fibres are mixed with other materials, almost always adhesives, and bonded together. In this form, when intact, asbestos is not considered dangerous – unless you’re going to do some renovations, then it can be a real problem.
When asbestos is friable, it means the fibres are loose and able to become airborne. This is when asbestos is dangerous, because those airborne fibres can travel long distances and easily be ingested or inhaled.
The reason asbestos can be inhaled is because it is microscopic, and the problem is, when it is inhaled, it can end up deep in our lungs without us even realising it. And most frustratingly, the body isn’t able to get it out. And because asbestos fibres are so tiny, you might not even know that you’re inhaling it in the first place.
So, what happens when asbestos enters the body? Well, it can actually lead to incurable illnesses like lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis. While these usually only occur after prolonged periods of exposure, it’s better to be safe than sorry right?
Should I removal asbestos myself?
Well, you might be able to already guess our answer to this but no, you should never remove asbestos yourself.
Exposure to asbestos is extremely dangerous and unfortunately if you end up with one of the diseases we mentioned earlier, it cannot be cured.
So, what should I do if I think my home has asbestos?
If you have a home in Australia that was built between the 1950s to the early 1990s, there is a high chance that asbestos may be present in one from or another. So, if you’re planning on renovating your home, we highly recommend that you have your home inspected and tested for the presence of asbestos. That way you can avoid accidental asbestos exposure.
Avoiding asbestos exposure is easy when you know what you’re working with, and it will keep you and your family safe.
You can work with a professional occupational hygiene specialist who can identify asbestos (and other hazardous materials) and advise you on how to manage them safely and effectively.
Before you renovate or decide to DIY your asbestos removal, call an asbestos inspection Melbourne company today!
