Removing asbestos in your home is a serious matter that should be handled by a professional asbestos removal company. Most asbestos removal companies are reputable, but like any industry, there are always a few bad apples. Bottom line: not only do we have to be vigilant about protecting us against the dangers of asbestos, we also need to be educated about who we work with and the appropriate methods for identifying asbestos. We recently met a story reprinted on the website Green Building Elements is a cautionary tale on the same subject.
The story, written by Linda Kincaid says the experience of Jim Lee and its interaction with the three asbestos removal companies. When Jim bought a house, the inspector of the property noted that the panels found in the laundry room may contain asbestos. Worried about his safety, Jim contacted three separate sanitation asbestos companies for estimates which ended up being a little over a thousand dollars for the removal of panels
So far, it all sounds good .; it is always best to seek professional asbestos removal company for all asbestos removal. Improper handling of asbestos material can cause fibers in the air, - expose any person not properly protected in the area of the fibers in the air. Inhalation of asbestos fibers can lead to asbestosis, a scarring of the lung tissue that causes difficulty breathing or worse, mesothelioma, a terminal form of lung cancer caused by exposure to asbestos .
Jim's story takes a different turn, though. Jim decided to reach out to an acquaintance who had already conducted environmental tests for him to notice. He was the person who opened the eyes of Jim in the scam, he was about to fall for. When contact has requested copies of laboratory reports on hardware, Jim informed them that no sanitation companies had provided all reports. In fact, the three companies have argued that they could identify the asbestos material just by looking.
Some asbestos can be identified by appearance, but in most cases, the final decision is definitely a material asbestos is done under a microscope. A certified laboratory will examine a sample and not only indicates what type of asbestos a person is seized, but what percentage of the material is asbestos. Jim took his own sample of the material, strictly following the procedures of the EPA (it is important to note that EPA does not recommend that unqualified people collect asbestos samples). Jim sent the sample to the laboratory and, a week later, learned that the material in his laundry room contained no asbestos at all.
instead of spending over $ 1000 on the withdrawal of materials, Jim spent less than $ 100 on a test to be sure, and now he knows his laundry is safe. What is even more disturbing in this story is that the materials in the Jim laundry room were in good condition. How important? The EPA advises against asbestos remediation when the materials are intact and in good condition. Removal of asbestos materials which are in good condition can actually release asbestos fibers into the air that would otherwise have remained sealed in the material. The other option would be to encapsulate the material to ensure that the fibers do not become suspended in the future.
In this story, there were three separate sanitation asbestos companies and not one of them tested the equipment in the home of Jim for asbestos content. Not one of them suggested leaving the material in place because it was in good condition. Jim was fortunate to have access to an informed acquaintance with whom he could learn about the situation, but what about the rest of the world can not have such links?
A recommendation article makes is to avoid companies that conduct their own tests and reduction. third test helps reduce the chances of being put to use in this type of situation. The best recommendation is to inform you about asbestos in the house and understand the proper procedures and practices before contacting an abatement company to make any withdrawal. The EPA website is an excellent resource for environmental health issues and the house. And, again, it is important to note that EPA does not recommend that unqualified people collect asbestos samples. Be careful out there!
