Asbestos Buildings
Asbestos is present in many public and commercial buildings, schools, houses, apartment buildings and factories built before the mid-1970s and after World War II. In those days, asbestos was considered a miracle product, due to its incredible heat and fire resistant properties. Naturally, people wanted their homes and offices to be as safe as possible, therefore extensive use of asbestos containing materials was the norm.
Asbestos Used in Many Old Construction Products
Asbestos alone is not harmful; however it can become dangerous if tiny asbestos fibers become airborne. Asbestos fibers were mixed with a wide variety of construction products used in older asbestos homes.
Examples of these products include:
- Cement
- Wood pulp
- Paint
- Vinyl flooring or floor tiles
- Door gaskets (in coal and oil furnaces)
- Joint compounds used to seal wallboards
- Water heater blankets
- Pipe insulation
- Textured paints in ceilings and walls
- Siding shingles made of asbestos cement
- Rooftops
- Walls behind stoves, heaters & fireplaces
If asbestos products in older homes are not damaged and remain in good condition, there is relatively low risk of asbestos exposure. However, if for example the paint is peeling off or the cement is damaged, then there is more risk of asbestos fibers going airborne.
Asbestos Banned as a Construction Material
Because of the increased awareness of the harmful effects of asbestos in the body, the U.S. has banned the use of asbestos as a construction material and old buildings still affixed with asbestos containing products are encouraged to have them removed.
If a home was built after 1980, it is safe to assume the home has no asbestos in it.
Asbestos Removal from Buildings
While complete removal of asbestos from an aging building is ideal, it is not always the safest option. Often asbestos will crumble and break during the removal process, releasing the toxic fibers into the air. When the actual removal of asbestos would cause more harm than it would prevent, other techniques exist which are designed to prevent asbestos fibers from going airborne. These include:
- Repair - Damaged asbestos containing material such as the insulation around pipes, boilers, tanks, or ducts are wrapped with heavy tape such as duct tape.
- Encapsulation – The process of treating asbestos with a liquid compound called an "encapsulant" that provides a seal to prevent release of fibers. Encapsulation is not appropriate if the ACM is deteriorated or the encapsulant does not adhere to the ACM.
- Enclosure - An airtight, impermeable, permanent barrier is constructed around the asbestos.
The removal and sealing of asbestos containing materials should always be performed by a trained professional.
For more information and resources about asbestos and building materials, please contact the Mesothelioma Center today.
