Do You Have Asbestos inYour Home?
By Hubert Vigilla
Published on October 19, 2009
There are a number of concerns when it comes to asbestos, particularly when it comes to potential asbestos exposure in your own home. While asbestos has not been used in building materials or products since the 1970s, older houses may still contain such materials. This can pose major health concerns to adults and children, including lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma.
Building Materials
In homes built from the 1930s to the 1950s, asbestos may be found in a number of objects since asbestos was commonly used in for fireproofing, insulation, and soundproofing purposes. In these older houses, the original insulation or the original paint and patching materials may have contained asbestos. It is also important to consider roofing materials, such as siding and shingles, as those may also contain asbestos.
If there is a wood-burning stove in the house, asbestos and other materials may have been used to protect the surrounding walls and floors from burning or heat damage. This may also apply to other objects that can become hot or emit heat, such as boilers, steam pipes, and furnace ducts. Such objects may be coated in asbestos or concealed with a pad or sleeve that contains asbestos. Certain flooring materials and ceiling materials may also contain asbestos, such as vinyl tiling, adhesives used in sheet flooring, or ceiling tiles.
Appliances
Older appliances in your house may also put you at risk for potential asbestos exposure. Ovens, slow cookers, broilers, cooking ranges, clothes dryers, refrigerators, and even electric blankets may contain some asbestos if they were manufactured a long time ago.
Cars
You may even want to have your car checked out as there may be asbestos used in the brake pads, brake linings, gaskets, and clutch facings. Be sure to check for old building and insulation materials that may have been stored or left in your house as well, such as paint cans and any fireproof material, as these products may have been present before the banning of asbestos.
If you own or live in an older home or are merely concerned with the possibility of asbestos exposure in your family, it is a good idea to have professional inspectors check out the house to ensure that there is no asbestos used on the premises.
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