Getting exposed to asbestos is extremely toxic, and it can lead to all kinds of diseases, including different cancers such as lunch cancer, mesothelioma, laryngeal cancer, and ovarian cancer. Other conditions include pleural effusions, pleural plaques, pleuritis, diffuse pleural thickening, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and asbestosis.
Thankfully, you can avail yourself of all kinds of services to get rid of all the asbestos in your home. For instance, asbestos removal Perth is straightforward because you can call it in. But, the vital thing you need to do is to spot asbestos as soon as possible. To do that, you’ll need to check on the following signs that you might have asbestos in your home:
1. Your home is old
Thankfully, asbestos was banned in Australia on December 31, 2003. This means that houses in Australia built before 2003, and especially before the 90s, probably have asbestos or asbestos-infused materials in them. Asbestos products could include asbestos cement, asbestos sealants/adhesives/coatings, vinyl asbestos tiles, asbestos roofing, and asbestos reinforced plastics.
The troubling part is that Australia is one of the top countries that used asbestos for constructing residential buildings. This is because Australia mined, bagged, and distributed asbestos. From 1930 to 1983, a whopping 1.5 million tons were imported. So, it comes as no surprise that after WW2 to 1954, the construction of 52% of New South Wales homes used asbestos cement.
If you’re having some trouble assessing and finding out if asbestos was used in your home, handyman Perth, or from wherever you live, might be able to help out.
2. Your home uses cement sheets
You can find cement sheets in ceiling paneling, internal and external walls, and even industrial and commercial buildings. They’re used a lot back in the day because of their durability. However, this durability is because they’re infused with asbestos. You’re especially at risk of asbestos exposure if the cement sheets are damaged. So, you need to test for asbestos as soon as possible.
3. You have vinyl flooring
Vinyl flooring is used in many homes because it’s easy to install, it lasts a long time, and it just looks good. But, the bad news is that many vinyl flooring sheets have a lot of asbestos in them.
Again, asbestos can spread throughout your home significantly if the material is damaged. Flooring tends to get damaged faster because it gets a lot of abuse from walking and moving furniture around.
4. Your home has a corrugated roof or bitumen roofing tiles
Due to how resistant asbestos was to heat and other extreme conditions, roofing was infused with asbestos.
Just like flooring, roofing can get damaged easily because of how exposed it is to the elements. This puts you at risk because when the roof is damaged, the asbestos is free to spread throughout your home. When inhaled, your lungs could get infected or inflamed. So, you must get anything with asbestos out of your home.
5. White or gray residue
Take a look at uninsulated pipes in your home, especially the fittings. If there is some white or gray residue, it’s probably asbestos.
6. Broken insulation pipes
Do you have hot water pipes that are just starting to give out? If so, then the asbestos used inside of it has probably broken down. Now, you’re completely exposed to it!
Getting this wholly removed and replaced with a different insulated piping will be your best option. Fiberglass insulation is a safer choice in this case.
7. Cement water tanks
If your home is old and has a cement water tank, it probably used 5-10% of asbestos. Besides, the cement water tank probably uses cement sheets, too!
Conclusion
Asbestos is a quiet killer, so you have to outsmart it by moving fast. You don’t need to wait for pipes, cement sheets, roofing, or flooring to deteriorate before deciding to check for asbestos. Simply knowing that your home was built before the 80s is enough reason for you to get it examined. If you’re in Australia, get your home tested for asbestos if it was built before 2003.
