Asbestos, a naturally occurring silicate material can be found in many homes that were built before the 1980s. Types of materials that may contain asbestos include roofing, tiles and insulation. Some companies that used asbestos kept it in products that were still used into the 1990s.
Because these materials were used, people who own homes that have asbestos materials in them, may be at risk of exposure when they are repairing things, renovating or just generally when the house ages. When the house ages, and things erode the asbestos may be exposed and then inhaled by the homeowner.
Asbestos can be found in a lot of places in older homes. Some of these places include textured paint and patching compounds that were used on walls and ceiling joints. Some siding shingles and roofing are made of asbestos cement. Stove top pads can contain asbestos compounds. Additionally, asbestos can be in vinyl floor tiles and the backing on vinyl sheet flooring. Since asbestos is a good insulator, it may be found on the floors and walls around older wood burning stoves. These are just a few of the areas where asbestos can be found in homes.
People can be exposed to asbestos in their home in many different ways. One of the most common ways is during attic renovation, because asbestos may be in the insulation. The insulation in older homes may also fall through ceiling cracks and expose homeowners. Additionally, homeowners may be exposed to asbestos through brake dust in their garage, because brakes that are older tend to contain asbestos. Also, foreign-made brakes may contain asbestos. Homeowners could also be exposed to asbestos by drilling into drywall and releasing the fibers in the drywall into the air. Another example of how homeowners can be exposed to asbestos when working on their homes is when removing vinyl floor tiles. Because asbestos-containing adhesive was once used to put in the tiles, scraping the tiles and making them loose can expose the person to asbestos-containing adhesive. Another example is when homeowners cut insulation on pipes in their homes. Asbestos insulation around pipes is common in older homes and cutting this insulation could release it into the air. Removing popcorn ceiling is also a way that homeowners could unknowingly be exposed to asbestos in their homes, because a lot of textured ceilings contain asbestos and scraping off the finish will cause the asbestos fibers to be released into the air.
The best way to deal with materials in the home that may contain asbestos is to just leave it alone, so as not to disturb it and release the fibers into the air. If you are planning on altering certain materials, such as renovating, or certain materials are damaged, the EPA recommends getting your home tested for asbestos. The only way to safely and properly get rid of asbestos is through abatements. Abatements are a way of controlling the release of asbestos fibers from asbestos containing materials.
If you or a loved one has been exposed to asbestos in your home and have been diagnosed with the cancer mesothelioma, you deserve compensation and the Halpern Law Firm can get you the compensation you deserve. We have over 30 years of experience and have won over $100 million for our clients. We are here to help. Call 800-505-6000 for a free case evaluation today. We are available 24/7.
Sources:
https://www.asbestos.com/exposure/home/
Written By Sadie Gold
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