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Change is the only permanent entity existing in this world. As far as the change is exciting, it brings jubilation. But many a time, it brings many concerns as well. If you recently planned to remodel your house, enclosed patio then you can truly comprehend the meaning of an exciting yet worrisome change.
The activity is full of thrill, yet with ifs and buts involved in it. One of them is the presence of asbestos in your house construction material and its consequences if left alone.
For years and years, people have used asbestos while constructing their houses. The benefits lie in its heat and fire resistance and prevention of chemical weathering. The activity was pretty standard in the USA until the introduction of EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) restrictions on the use of material.
Why is the proper handling of asbestos essential?
Asbestos is a pretty dangerous material for human health. Its fibers can clog the lungs and may cause thickening of renal tissues. So, though the renovation is an exciting activity and good news for the construction industry, serious concerns can arise if asbestos is not well-dealt.
Thus, you cannot be careless about the health damages when renovating your house. According to a report, between 1997 to 2017, more than 1000 construction workers died. Furthermore, asbestos exposure caused the death of approximately a third of those people.
Like other places, asbestos had been widely used in Brisbane and throughout Australia due to its resistive properties. As the DIY home renovation trend is increasing, asbestos exposure also increased in Brisbane houses.
Thus, if you live in Brisbane and plan to remodel your house, find asbestos in your place. You should call professionals like asbestos removal Brisbane to deal with asbestos removal in the home professionally.
For a novice involved in the renovation, it might be difficult to identify asbestos as colorless and odorless material. Besides, you will find it present in more than 3000 materials used in construction. The gravity of the situation has put the proper handling of asbestos at the forefront for home renovators.
You might require professional help; first, you might not know which materials have asbestos in them. Secondly, safe handling is essential for you as well as your neighbors. Your renovation plans should never impact the health of people living around you.
Precautions For Renovators When Dealing With Asbestos
There are also specific tips and precautions for home renovators. These precautions can significantly lower your risk of breathing into asbestos-filled air. Also, you have to discuss your plans with your neighbors, giving them a heads up and advising them on necessary precautions.
- If the area containing asbestos is not part of your renovation project, leave the site alone and limit your activities around that area. Significantly limit children’s activity as they might be more prone to getting in contact with the material.
- If you are a home-contractor, make sure your workers do not get exposed to the risk of breathing into asbestos. Similar goes for your family members during a personal DIY project. According to a study, DIYers are more prone to exposing themselves to asbestos.
- Approximately 60.5% of the DIYers reported having exposure to this dangerous material. The reasons can vary from careless handling to lack of information. According to a report published by the Australian Mesothelioma Registry in 2014, more than one-third of Mesothelioma-related total deaths were non-occupational contact to asbestos.
- When working on a potentially affected area, make sure to cordon off the area, creating a no-go site for people without precautions.
- Call professional asbestos removers for the inspection of the house before mishandling the material yourself.
- When removing the affected sheets, make sure to wear or ask the workers to wear protective gear. Being careless towards your workers will ultimately halt your work, as they are your leading army.
- Sanding and scraping an area can lead to grave mishandling leading to insignificantly more burden of dealing with it later on.
- There is always a risk of making the asbestos fibers airborne. One of the most common reasons is the use of power tools. Those dealing with power tools already know that they cause much dust in the air which can’t be just kept inside your outdoor toy storage. Therefore, never use drills, circular saws, grinders, and sanders in such an area.
- If you have removed asbestos-containing material, never dispose-off the waste into the household or publish bins. This way, you will transfer the problem to the larger public. Instead, you have the responsibility to follow the laws for proper transport and disposal of asbestos.
Final thoughts
According to scientific evidence accompanied by medical investigations, asbestos is reasonably safe in its perfect form. Suppose the material containing is in good shape and left alone without tearing, breaking, drilling, etc. In that case, it doesn’t pose any health risk.
However, it becomes lethal due to abrasion, water damage, tearing, and cutting. All these and similar activities damage the material and lead to the release of asbestos fibers into the air. If you are a DIY enthusiast, always follow your family’s safety and others around you.
Thus, the first rule is to leave the asbestos-containing area alone, avoid touching, hitting, and scrapping. However, suppose you witness any damaged area. In that case, it is always better to call for professional help instead of becoming a Know-it-all professional. These professionals have tons of experience and have better equipment to deal with asbestos.
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