If you live in an older home that was built in the 1970s or before, you may own a home that had asbestos used as an insulation material. If so, at some point you will have to get an asbestos inspection done so that you can find out.
After all, asbestos is an extremely dangerous material that can cause all kinds of health problems.
How is a typical asbestos inspection done? — It does not really matter how old your home is, where the asbestos may be or where you live, a typical asbestos inspection is done the same way.
First, you will need to make an appointment with an asbestos inspection company. They will then send a technician to your home to look around it for easy signs of asbestos. It they do not find anything, they will then test it for asbestos. The test will not usually take very long, and the results will be available within 48 hours in most areas of the country.
How is an asbestos test done? — If the technician does not find obvious signs of asbestos in your home, he will then start to look for the less obvious signs. This is done with an asbestos test.
First, he will take air samples in different rooms in your home. This will give him a good starting place to find out if any asbestos is present and has escaped into the air.
Next, he will take samples of materials around your home. These may be materials that are under sinks, in attics and basements, in easily accessible interior walls, in air ducts and vents, and in other areas of your home that are also easily accessible. These materials will be put into small glass vials or plastic bags, and then sent to a testing lab for testing.
What happens with the test results? — Test results are usually available from an asbestos inspection within 24 to 48 hours after the test took place. These results will be given to you over the phone.
If you discover you do have asbestos in your home, the inspection company will then walk you through some of the options you will have to deal with it. These include removing the asbestos (through a specialized company like asbestos removal Sydney), tenting your home and removing it and, in the worst case scenario, demolishing your home. The company will tell you which of the options they believe you should choose to have done. It is then up to you to make the decision.
Why should you have asbestos removed? — Many homeowners either do not know that they have asbestos in their home, or they do not always understand how dangerous it can be.
Asbestos can disintegrate over time, and the tiny fibers can escape into the air in your home. At some point, you, your spouse, children or even guests in your home could breathe in these tiny fibers. If they were to lodge in your lungs, they could cause you to have breathing problems. In a worst case scenario, they could even cause cancer.
