While asbestos-containing building materials were phased out of use in the 90s, the reality is that many homes built before this still contain asbestos.

Asbestos in your home could be hidden in any number of places, which is why it is important to proceed with caution if renovating or undertaking demolition work.

A hired professional can help you find asbestos in your home, safely remove it and dispose of it properly, keeping you and your loved ones safe from exposure. Wondering where asbestos could be hiding in your home? Let’s take a look.

Well Known Asbestos Materials

When most of us think of asbestos, we think of the most common building materials known to be manufactured with it. This includes things such as:

  • Loose-fill insulation
  • Asbestos cement roofing tiles
  • Vinyl floor tiles and other floor coverings
  • Cement sheeting and
  • Fencing panels

These asbestos products are quite well known and usually quite easy to spot, making it easier to safely avoid them. However, additional risks of exposure exist in several lesser-known products that could be hidden in your home.

Lesser-Known Asbestos Materials

Lesser-known sources of asbestos in the home include but are not limited to products and materials such as:

  • Popcorn ceilings
  • Textured paints
  • Vermiculite insulation
  • Hot water pipes
  • Composite board
  • Guttering
  • Architraves around doors and windows
  • Window sills
  • Cornices
  • Electrical meter boards
  • Window louvre blades and more.

As this list demonstrates, it is all too easy to overlook the presence of asbestos in your home. Even simple home renovations could see you exposed to dangerous asbestos fibres.

This is why it is so important to engage the support of a professional before beginning any work on your home.

Why Proper Identification Matters

As so many materials contain asbestos, the risk of exposure in any home built before or during the 90s is incredibly high. Keep in mind that if left undisturbed and in good condition, asbestos is considered quite safe – discovery does not mean you have to remove it.

However, if you are planning to knock down and rebuild or renovate, engaging a professional to undertake asbestos testing in your home is highly recommended. Why?

Exposure to asbestos fibres is known to cause several serious illnesses including mesothelioma, a type of lung cancer, asbestosis, thickening and hardening of lung tissues and more. There is no known safe level of exposure and these conditions cannot be cured, only managed.

Whenever asbestos is removed, cut, broken or similar, it will release asbestos fibres into the air. If you are not wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and do not wrap and dispose of it properly, you are putting yourself and others at risk of becoming unwell.

Taking the time to identify asbestos in your home is the best way to avoid exposure. Additionally, should you remove and dispose of asbestos improperly, you could face significant fines and even jail time – even if you did it unknowingly.

How To Safely Deal With Asbestos In The Home

If you suspect you have asbestos in your home, the team at Icon Asbestos is here to help. We perform in-depth asbestos checks and testing so you can make informed decisions about how to proceed.

Should we discover asbestos in your home and it needs to be removed, we will create a tailored removal and disposal plan in line with all relevant legislation. As licensed asbestos removalists, we implement several steps during removal and disposal to ensure your and our safety.

  • All staff wear full PPE which is disposed of with the asbestos waste once the job is complete.
  • Any areas of your home not being renovated will be taped off with thick plastic sheeting, sealing them off from the area being worked on.
  • All asbestos is dampened and removed with utmost care before being wrapped in thick plastic which is fully sealed for disposal.
  • Your home is vacuumed and cleaned in the area where the removal occurred and all materials used in the cleaning are removed from the site.
  • Asbestos is disposed of in an approved location in line with government legislation.

Icon Asbestos – The Team You Can Trust

At Icon Asbestos, we offer reliable, fully licensed and insured asbestos testing, removal and disposal services. We are committed to keeping you and your household safe from exposure so you can continue with your renovations with no risk of exposure.

We remove friable and non-friable asbestos affordably, efficiently and in accordance with all legislation for your peace of mind. Call Icon Asbestos today at 07 3053 3453 to learn more