Asbestos is a fire-resistant fiber. Once commonly used as insulation. It was also added to materials such as cement and plaster to give them structural strength. Products containing asbestos were commonly used in house construction up to the 1980s,
When you are renovating or demolishing an older house, there is a high probability of encountering materials containing asbestos. If the materials containing asbestos are in good condition and left intact, they pose no immediate problem, but the danger of releasing asbestos fibers into the air you breathe can be hazardous when they deteriorate or are disturbed.
Handling, sanding, drilling or in anyway breaking up materials containing asbestos so that they crumble, will release asbestos fibers into the air, and easily inhaled if not protected by masks and/or other protective gear. Renovating houses containing asbestos products release extremely fine fibers which can remain in the air for hours.
Inhaling asbestos fibers can cause serious health problems, including lung disease and even cancer. Even small doses can cause Asbestosis, the clinical name for the scarring and stiffening of the lungs caused by inhaling asbestos dust over a period of time, causing breathing difficulties and often pneumonia and heart disease, not to mention lung cancer and mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the linings of the lungs and abdomen.
Symptoms can occur years after exposure to asbestos, depending on the amount of asbestos in the air one inhales and the length of time one is exposed. Smokers have an even greater risk. If you’re doing your own renovation, use face masks and protective clothing and avoid areas that may contain asbestos fibers in your home. Consult a specialist if unsure and if removal is needed.
The older the building, the greater chance that asbestos will be present; but don’t assume that more modern structures are asbestos free. Professional home renovators are trained in detecting and safely removing asbestos materials.