It’s no surprise that we often meet with Calgary homeowners who have discovered their house has asbestos and want to know what to do next. If you search the internet, you’ll find varying opinions on how safe or dangerous asbestos is, but most of these sites will have an agenda of some sort. You’ll find that those in favour of asbestos mining jobs say the risks are exaggerated and that asbestos is mostly safe. On the other side, you’ll find health professionals saying that any exposure is too much. We’re not unbiased, and we’re not going to pretend that we are. We generally think that if you’ve found asbestos in your home and you can afford to have it removed, you ought to. Sooner or later the asbestos will need to be removed anyways, and it might as well be before it harms anyone. But that doesn’t mean we’re suggesting anyone should panic.
Evaluate Your Individual Situation.
This is the real world, and that means things are complicated by circumstance, and context is everything. If your child was playing with a ball inside, smashed a ceiling tile, and dust bunnies of asbestos insulation started snowing from the ceiling, by all means evacuate the house and call in the experts. But if you were planning on a renovation, had your asbestos inspection done, and realized that a few materials that are currently in perfect condition contain asbestos, there is really no need for panic.
Understand the Dangers.
Asbestos is only dangerous when fibers are able to leak into the air and are then inhaled. These tiny fibers lodge into the lungs and cause scarring and eventually cancer. But an asbestos containing floor tile, or other material, that is in perfection condition isn’t leaking asbestos fibers. It is only when asbestos containing materials begin to degrade with age, are cracked, or are otherwise damaged that you have to worry about your health and safety. This is why it’s so important to have an asbestos inspection done before a renovation. Demolition and renovation work can easily damage an asbestos containing material and turn a benign part of your house into a real danger. It’s also why you absolutely shouldn’t try to remove asbestos containing materials as a DIY project. This is one where you really need an experienced professional who can safely contain the asbestos while removing it from your home.
By understanding what circumstances make asbestos dangerous, you’ll be able to evaluate whether your situation requires immediate attention. Is an asbestos containing material in less than perfect condition? Then you should contact an asbestos removal team like Amity Environmental today. We’ll be able to give you more information about your specific situation, so you can make an informed decision.
