I was recently contacted by the Mesothelioma Cancer Center and asked if they could information for a post regarding the dangers of asbestos given my role as a Realtor in the Phoenix area. As such, I thought this was a fantastic idea as asbestos is a very serious issue given its usage in homes across the United States, and here in the Phoenix area.
Asbestos had been used in homes for decades until its adverse health effects became clear and spirited individuals and organizations began to raise awareness and get legislation passed against its future usage. Thousands of people across the country who worked with these materials have been diagnosed with a range of debilitating and fatal health issues, most notably, Mesothelioma, Asbestosis, and Asbestos Cancer. There are no mesolethelioma treatments or cure. More recently, many of us have heard of the concerns for 9/11 survivors and aid workers who were exposed to the toxic dust and debris as a result of the attacks on the World Trade Center towers.
Given this, I want to thank the Mesothelioma Cancer Center for their request as well as the research and work they do in this regard to raise awareness of the health related risks to asbestos.
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is, according to Wikipedia, a “group of minerals with long, thin fibrous crystals.” Asbestos acts as a binding agent and because of its mineral origins, is fireproof. Its binding and fireproof qualities and the fact that it is a mineral that could be mined relatively cheaply means that asbestos was a favorite material component in the building and construction industry.
Could You Have Asbestos in Your Home?
If your Phoenix area home was built prior to 1980, there’s a significant chance that you have asbestos in your home. Asbestos was used largely for its fire resistant and insulation qualities and may be used in ceiling materials (including the ‘popcorn’ on the ceiling), drywall, floor tiles, and other materials in your home. Because asbestos is a type of mineral that was easily and cheaply mined and that has very good properties as a binding compound, asbestos has been used in thousands of commercial and residential construction materials. Note: Some homes even built after 1980 may have asbestos-laced materials if the materials used were imported from other countries.
What If My Home Has Asbestos in It?
First, it’s important not to get overly upset if you have asbestos in your home. In most instances, asbestos doesn’t present a danger. If the asbestos is intact and is not damaged in any way, then the risk is greatly reduced. The risk from asbestos lies in the asbestos being damaged, worn away, or otherwise disturbed so that tiny asbestos fibers are released into the air. So, one can imagine that renovation and remodeling become more of a concern when there is a chance that you has asbestos in your home.
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Identifying asbestos in your home can be rather difficult as materials may not be labeled or in clear view to the homeowner. If you suspect that you may have asbestos in your home, it is critical to use a specially trained and licensed asbestos surveyor. The surveyor can test materials in a safe manner. As a homeowner, you should not attempt to identify or test materials for asbestos given the clear risks to doing so. As mentioned above, the disturbance of any asbestos-containing materials could release the fibers that have proven so dangerous to people. Again, to reiterate, it is better to leave the asbestos in its current undisturbed state.
You can also find more information on asbestos use in your home at the EPA’s Asbestos website.
The good news regarding asbestos is that since its active removal as a material component, generations will not risk the same exposure as once experienced. However, because so many structures were built before 1980 and continue to be in use today, the risks to asbestos exposure will be there for a long time into the future. However, understanding any risks and the tips for addressing asbestos mentioned above can mean that there is no reason to be unduly concerned regarding your home.
What Should I Do If I Plan on Remodeling My Older pre-1980 Home?
First and foremost, consider having an asbestos surveyor test your property for the presence of asbestos. There are numerous asbestos remediation companies such as Native Environmental, Contractor’s Abatement, and IHI Environmental, to name a few. You shouldn’t just assume that everything will be okay with remodeling your home. This is something that needs to be taken very seriously. Unfortunately, one can imagine that many homeowners are remodeling their older properties without consideration to this issue and the potential exposure of asbestos fibers to themselves, their families, and contractors doing the work.
What Should You Do If You Are Thinking About Buying a Pre-1980 Home?
Depending on the home and your overall concerns, you may want to contact an Asbestos Surveyor to help you understand any risks that may exist to buying the home. Make sure to get the homeowner’s approval regarding doing any testing prior to having the Surveyor come by the property. The Surveyor may be used just to assess that there doesn’t appear to be any breaking down of materials across the house.
Should I Disclose the Presence of Asbestos on My Property
Yes, when in doubt, disclose! Asbestos is a very serious issue and should be disclosed if you are aware of the presence of asbestos in your home. The fact is that asbestos will be present in many homes so if a homebuyer is looking at properties in your area, they are likely to realize that many homes in the area are subject to this issue. More importantly though, an informed home seller has to think about what would they want to know about a home that they were considering purchasing. Asbestos is a fact of life for thousands of homeowners and homes here in the Valley so it is something to simply be aware of and understand the risks and how to address those risks so there is no issue in the future.
It’s Not the End of the World!
Again, if you suspect that you have asbestos in your Phoenix area home, it’s not the end of the world. Asbestos doesn’t generally present a risk if it is encapsulated, undamaged, or undisturbed. The best treatment for asbestos is simply to leave it alone. However, if you plan on making substantial changes to your home in the future, identifying whether there are any risks to doing so is a key first step. This will help to protect you, your family, and the contractors involved in the project.
Though the cost for asbestos removal is high, the value of peace of mind on this issue is worth much more.
For more information on the dangers and risks of asbestos and the health risks associated with it, please visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center brought to you by Asbestos.com.
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Was looking for adbestos info, and get to your page.
This article was so helpful!! Thanks
I’ve been doing a lot of research about asbestos and mesothelioma cancer and this is one of the better articles I’ve seen. A lot of people are misinformed about asbestos, how to get rid of it, when it’s a danger, what they should do if they find it so it’s great when sites like these give out detailed information.
People should be aware of this cause of too much exposure of asbestos and how they will affect our system and our health specifically. I do hope that our government will conduct a seminar to all about this and how they will avoid it. They might not know that their simple routine have cause them to be ill on this.