However, studies conducted in the 1980s revealed that asbestos was actually a rather problematic material as it posed a great threat to the human body in instances of prolonged exposure. What happens is that the materials with asbestos fibers, when they deteriorate, break off tiny particles of asbestos fibers, causing them to become launched into the air. As soon as these asbestos particles are launched into the air, they then pose a risk to the human body as they may be inhaled and lodged in the lungs.

Once the asbestos particles are lodged in the lungs, it causes irreparable damage as it can stay there for a very long period of time. It could cause scarring in the lungs, as well as lead to severe problems such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, and cases of difficulty in breathing. The risk is also intensified with continued exposure over a prolonged period of time.

To truly rid oneself of the threats of asbestos exposure, one should make sure all materials surrounding them within the home is free of the dreaded material. Testing for asbestos in Austin may be the one thing keeping you from suffering from asbestos related health problems. There are professional asbestos testing laboratories you may get in touch with to confirm the presence of asbestos in your surroundings. They will have to collect samples of course, and will notify you of the results as soon as possible. If no asbestos is found, then you can rest easy. IF they do find asbestos though, hold off on dealing with it by yourself, and get in touch with professionals to do it for you. Remember, any disturbance of the asbestos fibers and you risk exposing yourself as well. Best leave it to a professional asbestos abatement firm.

Asbestos is very dangerous. If we suspect the presence of asbestos in anything, it is important to keep in mind that we not expose ourselves to the asbestos fibers themselves. There are actually asbestos testing laboratories that are well equipped in analyzing asbestos content so that you wouldn’t have to risk yourself. Asbestos testing laboratories in Austin work promptly and efficiently, analyzing multiple samples of materials to be tested to make sure to check for asbestos content where asbestos is unevenly distributed. They then turn in their results in a timely manner as well, notifying you of any asbestos related concerns you may need to know of depending on your arrangement on how you wish to be notified. If not, then that would mean that there are none to worry about and that you can rest easy.

If you are notified of asbestos in the materials you had tested for, again, it would be best to leave it to the professionals to deal with the materials themselves. Professional asbestos abatement service firms are well equipped and are specially trained to keep asbestos from getting airborne while moving the material. These professional asbestos movers can isolate an object with asbestos before moving it or cutting it off, therefore eliminating the threat of airborne asbestos fibers. They also do replacement services for important parts of the house such as ceilings, walls, floors, foundations, and the like. This comes in especially handy when having to change delicate material that you can’t do without.

Only when the abatement specialists have removed or replaced the material with asbestos content in them can you rest easy that no more asbestos fibers are present in your home. Not only have you bought peace of mind and health security for yourself, but you’ve also assured an asbestos free future for your loved ones as well.

Asbestos has been found out to cause serious health concerns. It was banned from use as it had actually been a primary compound in the construction of buildings and homes as it proved a very efficient fire deterrent. Buildings that were built with asbestos had their parts with asbestos replaced with materials without any asbestos in them. However, not all structures have actually undergone asbestos processing and retrieval. Some houses to this day have asbestos particles present in the very material they are used to be built. Some people don’t even know that the very walls that surround them, meant to protect them from harm, are the very problems causing health concerns such as mesothelioma or even lung cancer. This is primarily why you should have your home tested for the presence of asbestos in Austin.

Testing for asbestos in the home is very important to give you that peace of mind that you and the people around you who are living in the same house as you will be free of any asbestos related problems.   However the degradation of these materials with asbestos fibers is what poses the risk. What happens is if the aforementioned material ever gets damaged, it could release asbestos fibers in the air, therefore getting these hazardous asbestos particles airborne. The risk comes when these asbestos particles are then inhaled, where they can lodge into a person’s lungs and begin to develop all manner of health hazards.

Avoiding the threat of asbestos in Austin is fairly easy. All it really takes is the removal of the asbestos material from the equation. In cases of furniture like tables and chairs and other such movable items, it’s as easy as getting rid of the items themselves. However such isn’t the case when it comes to materials that are actually already part of the house. This means walls, ceilings, floors, foundations, posts, that sort of thing. To go about taking these asbestos containing materials out, one needs to get in touch with a professional asbestos abatement company.
Of course you would first have to confirm the presence of asbestos in anything before you actually go about getting rid of your stuff. This is where professional asbestos testing companies and laboratories come in. Testing for asbestos should be left to professionals, so give the pros a call – better be safe than sorry.

Asbestos was widely used for its fireproofing and insulation capabilities which are why it can be found in many of the insulating components found inside a house. Aside from that, it can be found as a component of textured or popcorn ceilings, sheet flooring, floor tile, joint compounds, glues or mastics and other building materials. Even though  it was widely used in a huge variety of applications, the problem was discovered that asbestos can cause a wide variety of diseases and illnesses.  It is for this reason that various governments have established campaigns to raise the awareness of the potential of asbestos in homes so that exposure can be minimized or suppressed completely when repairing, renovating or remodeling a home.

The first thing you must do if you suspect that materials in your home contain asbestos is to have them tested.  This must be done by a laboratory that is licensed or accredited to perform asbestos analysis.
To find out more about asbestos in your home including information about how to test materials for asbestos, download this free ebook – The Truth About Asbestos In Your Home.
If the laboratory results indicate the presence of asbestos, the next step is to contact a licensed asbestos abatement or removal company in order to have the asbestos removed professionally.
Please note that a reputable laboratory will not make any recommendations regarding an asbestos abatement company as this would imply a conflict of interest.

The basic process is as follows:

* You should have several samples collected from the area which is being remodeled or repaired.  More than one sample is usually necessary since the asbestos may not be uniformly distributed through the material.  This will help to minimize the potential for any false positives for the material being tested. This sampling should be done by a professional or you should contact the laboratory for specific instructions.
* Once the samples are collected they should be sent to the laboratory following the directions given by the lab personnel.  It should be noted that if you are having the samples collected by a professional, you should be the one to select the lab that the samples will be sent to to avoid any potential conflict of interest.  The results should be sent directly to you even if you are having someone collect the samples for you.
* You should receive the results from the lab within seven days or less.  If the lab reports the presence of asbestos in the samples and you still wish to perform the repairs or remodeling, you should then begin the process of contacting licensed asbestos abatement contractors.  They will need copies of the laboratory results and will come out to determine what materials need to be removed.  You should get at least three estimates if at all possible.  Also, be sure to check the credentials of the company.

Most reputable asbestos abatement companies will provide copies of their credentials as well as references upon request.  Once you have contracted with one of these companies, they will begin the work of removing the asbestos containing materials so that you can then proceed with your repair or remodeling job.

It is still very important to check for asbestos in one’s home – not just for structures built before 1980, but even for some of the newer ones as asbestos had long been a leading compound in insulation such as in fireplaces, ducts, pipes, boilers, and sheeting, as well as in the creation of sidings, roof shingles, floor and ceiling tiles, sheet flooring, flashing, and also in joint compunds associated with sheetrock. These are just some of the instances in which asbestos was used.
Structures with asbestos, when damaged, have a chance of releasing asbestos fibers in the air. It is in this state that asbestos becomes a major health hazard, as its airborne fibers may be inhaled. Asbestos inhalation has shown to lead to cases of lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis, among others.

Checking for asbestos in your home is an integral way of preventing asbestos-related health concerns, especially if you are renovating or remodeling your home of if you are repairing structural damage in your home. The only way to determine whether a material contains asbestos is to have it analyzed by a laboratory that is licensed or accredited to analyze materials for asbestos using Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM).

In case any of these tests result in positive detection of asbestos, it is also important to consider the nature of the material in which the asbestos was detected. Should it be classified as friable – meaning it can easily crumble, thereby increasing the risks of asbestos getting into the air – then it should immediately be dealt with, preferably by a professional asbestos abatement company, working cautiously to avoid causing the asbestos to become airborne.  Non-friable asbestos material, although not immediately dangerous can also become a serious hazard if it is damaged, sawed through, cut or abraded in any way . Though, this sounds less hazardous than friable asbestos, the structure should still be observed for signs of asbestos wear and tear. Other times, materials with asbestos in them can be replaced or isolated by encapsulants – air-tight barriers that hinder asbestos particles from becoming airborne.

Asbestos in the home is something that shouldn’t be taken lightly. If you suspect any asbestos presence in your household, exercise caution. At the very minimum, consider having the material tested by a NVLAP accredited laboratory.

We all know that asbestos in the home is dangerous. Inhaling its fibers can lead to asbestosis as well as several types of cancer. But because asbestos is resistant to heat, flexible, and durable, it has been used in many building materials before it was banned and regulated in the 1970’s onwards. This is why a responsible homeowner should ask: where can I find asbestos in the house and how can this become a danger to my family’s health? The following are four major places where asbestos is likely to be found.

Vinyl floor tiles

Does your house have vinyl old tiles used as flooring? There are some old types of vinyl tiles that are contaminated with asbestos. The danger is lessened if the tiles are not friable – meaning if the material does not easily crumble or is easily pulverized with simple pressure. However time and the elements will eventually make it friable. When a vinyl tile that contains 1 percent asbestos or greater becomes friable the danger becomes real and it may release airborne micro fibers.

Siding shingles and roofing

It may seem unlikely that shingles for your roof can contain asbestos. However, because people wanted tiles that provided complete protection from the elements and especially the intense heat of the midday sun, someone thought of mixing in asbestos in as part of the ingredient of some roof tiles. Another reason was that a roof is one part of a house that has been known to catch fire. The most common kind of asbestos one would likely find when testing for roof shingles is chrysotile asbestos.

Insulation material for attics

If your attic insulation is made of mineral wool then you might be safe from asbestos. There have been some cases when mineral wool has been mixed together with asbestos for insulation purposes but chances are that these will not be used for homes. However what you have to watch out for is if your attic insulation has vermiculite made up of grains that may contain asbestos.

Insulation material for walls

Insulation materials used for attics may sometimes also be used as insulation for some walls. Thus once again, for those houses that use mineral wool, there is no need to worry while those who see vermiculite behind the wall structure should have samples tested out.

The general rule is if your house has been made in 1985 or earlier then there is a chance that some of the materials used to build it contains asbestos. Take the necessary measures to eliminate this from your house.

A test for asbestos is also necessary if you are planning on doing some remodeling or refurnishing for an old house. This is true for any major or minor construction project that will involve the disturbance of walls or roofs, as well as any refurbishing that will replace tiles or pipes. A house for example, where flooring or insulation is damaged, flayed, and/or exposed is of particular danger also of releasing asbestos particles and should therefore also be tested.

Asking for a professional opinion from plumbers and electricians who are familiar with asbestos can get you a quick answer, but it may not be accurate. For most of these professional, dealing with asbestos is a part of day to day work. They therefore may be able to give you advice when they visit your home or site and tell you which materials probably contains asbestos due to their knowledge and experience with dealing with the brands and materials that contain them. However, without sending samples to an asbestos testing lab, one can never be 100% sure. This is because asbestos cannot be positively ID’d by the five senses only. It has to be examined through a polarized light microscope using a documented analytical method by an accredited laboratory.   Also, without a licensed asbestos test professional, you cannot have a legal document proclaiming that your building is either free of the substance or is contaminated by it.

Another way of how to test for asbestos is to do it yourself, however these test kits are not always accurate and there is always the potential that you can expose yourself or contaminate your house with asbestos if you do this on your own.  Therefore, we do not recommend using a do-it-yourself test kit.  However if you still choose to do it yourself, much caution should be observed especially when trying to retrieve a sample by yourself. Disturbing material that contains asbestos can release asbestos dust into the air. If the material is not disturbed and is in good condition, there is no health risk. Airborne asbestos is what one actually wants to avoid. And again, no supporting legal documents will be supplied for this kind of test.

If and when a test comes back as from the asbestos testing lab as positive, then you should have the material removed. There are special contractors that are certified for asbestos removal so you should get a hold of one as soon as you can.

Asbestos has been regulated and banned from a lot of construction materials in the late 70’s. Scientific evidence has drawn a direct link between several types of cancers and lung illnesses with the inhalation of asbestos particles. However, this does not mean that asbestos containing popcorn ceiling products were no longer sold. Companies that wanted to avoid loses continued selling their asbestos contaminated building products until they finally sold out during the mid 80’s. This is why a lot of old houses still contain asbestos.

Popcorn ceilings are no longer fashionable today but there are still a lot of houses that have them.  If your house is old enough for you to suspect that your popcorn finish ceiling contains asbestos then you should have it tested as soon as possible and have it removed by licensed experts.

Caution on Removing Asbestos Ceilings
There is a lot of misinformation circulating in the internet. You might find information in some webpage that provides so called “easy” step by step instructions on how to remove this kind of ceiling by your self. Do-it-yourselfers usually hate calling licensed professionals since this will cost money. Indeed a popcorn ceiling can be removed through these methods but is it worth risking your health and the health of your loved ones living in the same house. The minute fibers or power of asbestos released into the air when one scrapes off a popcorn ceiling finish can stay in one’s house for some time. ]]> http://www.omnienv.com/whats-the-latest-on-asbestos-and-popcorn-ceilings/feed 0 http://www.omnienv.com/how-to-identify-asbestos-in-the-home http://www.omnienv.com/how-to-identify-asbestos-in-the-home#comments Wed, 25 May 2011 01:00:07 +0000 admin http://www.omnienv.com/?p=67 Have you ever seen what asbestos looks like? What is its color? What is its shape? Do materials with asbestos have a kind of texture or pattern? Sadly, identifying asbestos is not that easy. One can’t positively say that a material contains asbestos with just the naked eye. One can’t tell by its texture either (and besides, handling it carelessly is not advisable). The good news is that nowadays, most materials that contain it will have a label. However, asbestos containing materials produced before the 1980’s will not have a label.

If you think that an item or a material might contain some asbestos, you should have it tested out as soon as possible.  If you are not yet sure if something does or does not have asbestos, you should treat it as if it does have asbestos. Have a qualified professional take a look at it.

Taking Samples
You might be tempted to get the sample yourself. Don’t. You are in danger of disturbing the material. If the material is something like wall insulation, taking a sample might just cause further problems. Intact building materials that contain asbestos pose less health risks compared to materials that are exposed or tampered with. What you want to avoid is letting it release dust or fibers into the air. The cumulative inhalation of such contaminated particles is what leads to lung diseases and cancer.

Go Directly to a Professional
If you think that a part of your house needs to be tested you should do some research first and you may even find some information on how to test for asbestos. There are also a lot of DIY kits for taking samples. But be warned, there are great risks involved. Sending samples to an asbestos testing lab is not as easy as it sounds. Contact a professional instead. They have the experience and the know-how to safely take samples from your wall, ceiling or whatever part of your house. Also, a professional will know where to look and what to look for.

Dealing with the Problem
Any suspect material that seems to be in good state should not be tampered with. If the material you are going to undergo some remodeling then you should get in contact with a trusted professional as soon as possible. You can also deal with the problem right away so that you won’t be exposed especially if the material is already damaged, weathered, or exposed. Isolate it by either covering it with a wrap or a good sealant. ]]> http://www.omnienv.com/how-to-identify-asbestos-in-the-home/feed 0 http://www.omnienv.com/asbestos-in-the-home-list-of-likely-places-where-it-is-found http://www.omnienv.com/asbestos-in-the-home-list-of-likely-places-where-it-is-found#comments Tue, 24 May 2011 01:00:59 +0000 admin http://www.omnienv.com/?p=65 No one wants to have asbestos in the home. Many home owners are not aware though since it is hard to spot asbestos. The use of asbestos in homes was rampant during the early 1950’s up to the 1980’s. However, just because your house was not built in between those dates does not mean that it is free from this harmful, toxic material.  If you home was built during this time period, it is important to be aware of the possibility of being exposed to asbestos.

The biggest problem that home owners have is how to find out if their house actually contains asbestos contaminated materials. And to do this, one has to find out where in the house it is found and which material it could be. But identifying it is a difficult task. Testing for asbestos requires one to send in samples to an asbestos testing lab. And only a trained professional is allowed to do both the sample taking and the testing. One can not tell just by sight alone. It is especially hard since asbestos is usually mixed in with concrete, paint, resins, or other building materials.

So just where in your house should you look? Where can asbestos usually be found? The following is a list of places in a house where asbestos materials are commonly found:

-Pantry / Kitchen – Since this is a place where cooking is done, fire has been a concern. Some kitchen insulation materials contain asbestos. Tiles in the floor might also contain the substance.
-Hallway – The back part of a fuse box has been fortified with asbestos in the past to prevent fire.
-Bathroom – Here floor tiles or vinyl sheet flooring can contain asbestos.
-Look also in wall paneling, popcorn ceilings, outbuildings, soffit boards, and various coatings.