Just the suggestion of asbestos can invoke panic to many home renovators. Mainly because of the potentially damaging impact it can have on our health as well as the expense and fuss it causes in a renovation project.
Asbestos is a hidden killer that can cause four serious diseases: Mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, Asbestosis and Plural thickening. These diseases will not affect you instantly; they often take a long time to develop and by the time they are diagnosed it is often to late to do anything. There is a need for you to protect yourself now.
Mesothelioma is a cancer which affects the lining of the lungs (pleura) and the lining surrounding the lower digestive tract (peritoneum). It is almost solely related to asbestos exposure and by the time it is diagnosed, it is almost always fatal.
Asbestos-related lung cancer is the same as (looks the same as) lung cancer caused by smoking and other causes. It is estimated that there is around one lung cancer for every mesothelioma death.
After heavy exposure to asbestos, over many years, the lungs become significantly scarred. This is called Asbestosis. This condition can cause progressive shortness of breath, and in severe cases can be fatal.
Pleural thickening is generally a problem that happens after heavy asbestos exposure. The lining of the lung (pleura) thickens and swells. At its worse the lung is squeezed, causing shortness of breath and chest discomfort.
It's very hard to identify asbestos, but if you suspect you are living with it - don't panic. Unless asbestos is damaged or disturbed, it is safe to leave it in place. As long as that the repair or sealing will be substantial and not likely to be disturbed then damaged asbestos can be fixed and then protected from further damage. Asbestos should never be sanded, or drilled or sawn. Only remove asbestos if fixing is not possible or the material is likely to be disturbed.
Professional help should be sought when removing asbestos.
It is possible to get an asbestos survey of your house. Only use a capable asbestos surveyor.
You can use paint, wallpaper or adhesive to coat asbestos so that it can't release dust. Prime the asbestos with alkali resistant primer and finish off with emulsion or gloss paint - don't sand or scrape the asbestos material before painting. Sheet asbestos can be covered with wallpaper or hardboard. Asbestos could be painted with a bitumastic paint (eg Aquaseal or Synthaprufe) or sealed with PVA adhesive (eg Unibond).
Check that any tradesperson that you hire for matters concerning asbestos management have the appropriate training and equipment.
It is not easy to get rid of asbestos yourself. You could end up with an asbestos related disease if you dont know what you are doing. A professional company should be consulted about asbestos management, when removing asbestos from your property. If you insist on removing it yourself you will need to wear the proper equipment and you will have to remove in a controlled environment with the right materials. By not following the correct way to remove asbestos you run the risk of injuring yourself and others.
Asbestos is a hidden killer that can cause four serious diseases: Mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, Asbestosis and Plural thickening. These diseases will not affect you instantly; they often take a long time to develop and by the time they are diagnosed it is often to late to do anything. There is a need for you to protect yourself now.
Mesothelioma is a cancer which affects the lining of the lungs (pleura) and the lining surrounding the lower digestive tract (peritoneum). It is almost solely related to asbestos exposure and by the time it is diagnosed, it is almost always fatal.
Asbestos-related lung cancer is the same as (looks the same as) lung cancer caused by smoking and other causes. It is estimated that there is around one lung cancer for every mesothelioma death.
After heavy exposure to asbestos, over many years, the lungs become significantly scarred. This is called Asbestosis. This condition can cause progressive shortness of breath, and in severe cases can be fatal.
Pleural thickening is generally a problem that happens after heavy asbestos exposure. The lining of the lung (pleura) thickens and swells. At its worse the lung is squeezed, causing shortness of breath and chest discomfort.
It's very hard to identify asbestos, but if you suspect you are living with it - don't panic. Unless asbestos is damaged or disturbed, it is safe to leave it in place. As long as that the repair or sealing will be substantial and not likely to be disturbed then damaged asbestos can be fixed and then protected from further damage. Asbestos should never be sanded, or drilled or sawn. Only remove asbestos if fixing is not possible or the material is likely to be disturbed.
Professional help should be sought when removing asbestos.
It is possible to get an asbestos survey of your house. Only use a capable asbestos surveyor.
You can use paint, wallpaper or adhesive to coat asbestos so that it can't release dust. Prime the asbestos with alkali resistant primer and finish off with emulsion or gloss paint - don't sand or scrape the asbestos material before painting. Sheet asbestos can be covered with wallpaper or hardboard. Asbestos could be painted with a bitumastic paint (eg Aquaseal or Synthaprufe) or sealed with PVA adhesive (eg Unibond).
Check that any tradesperson that you hire for matters concerning asbestos management have the appropriate training and equipment.
It is not easy to get rid of asbestos yourself. You could end up with an asbestos related disease if you dont know what you are doing. A professional company should be consulted about asbestos management, when removing asbestos from your property. If you insist on removing it yourself you will need to wear the proper equipment and you will have to remove in a controlled environment with the right materials. By not following the correct way to remove asbestos you run the risk of injuring yourself and others.
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For extra info about asbestos management training courses and removal of asbestos or to request a call back, please visit Clearway Asbestos.