What To Do if You Think You Have Asbestos in Your Home

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Categories: For Homeowners
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Categories: For Homeowners

Author

david

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Published On: March 21, 2024

Two days ago as I write this, the Biden administration initiated a ban on the last form of asbestos that has still been in production. That is the final leg of an effort to rid this environmental risk from our homes and lives that started with the banning of asbestos in most construction materials in the 1980s.

Yet asbestos continues to be a presence, particularly in older houses built before 1980. It is found in a number of construction materials: roofing shingles, insulation, cement, and ceiling tiles, among many others. If your home is that age, there is a high likelihood that asbestos is contained in some areas of the house’s construction.

That said, just having asbestos in your home is not itself a risk. It becomes a problem when it is disturbed, as it could be due to remodeling or repair work. The fine dust is emitted and can potentially be breathed in.

Asbestos can cause mesothelioma, a form of cancer. The American Lung Association lists these warning signs for mesothelioma:

• Shortness of breath.
• Persistent dry cough.
• Chest tightness or chest pain.
• Weight loss from loss of appetite.
• A dry, crackling sound in the lungs while breathing in.
• Wider and rounder than normal fingertips and toes (clubbing)

Aside from getting medical care, of course, there are steps you can take to determine if there actually is asbestos in your home, if it’s a risk, and what the best options are. The first step is to get an environmental risk assessment. There are companies you can find online to do this. If your home has asbestos, the inspection will let you know whether to leave it, repair it, or remove it. An alternative to repairing and removing is sometimes to encapsulate it in an airtight seal, which is much less costly if that is an option.

There are also legal options if your health is affected from asbestos in your home. Here is a law firm that has a wealth of information about this problem and potential legal remedies for further information:

https://www.lanierlawfirm.com/