How to Handle And Remove Asbestos Before Renovating

Having a risk management plan in place while renovating is critical to preventing harm to your health, family, and those living nearby. If you’re considering renovating or making some changes to your older home, you will need to investigate whether it contains any forms of asbestos before doing anything else. Asbestos is one of the biggest risks when it comes to renovating an older home. Asbestos was heavily used in the construction of domestic properties from the 1930s until the 1990s. It is estimated that most, if not all, houses that were built before 1990 will contain asbestos in some form or another.

Renovating, demolishing or disturbing the materials in an older house can expose asbestos fibres and allow them to become airborne. Once asbestos fibres are released into the air, they are very easily inhaled where they can cause serious health effects in the lungs. The best way to avoid asbestos causing harm during renovations is to manage any asbestos materials early on.

As asbestos was used in many different products and forms, it can be difficult to identify by appearance alone. The first step to dealing with asbestos is to confirm the presence either with asbestos labelling or an asbestos test. Once asbestos has been confirmed, you will need to have it safely removed from the property by a professional asbestos removal company like GBAR Sydney before beginning any demolition or renovation work.

If the asbestos is in a friable form, it legally has to be removed by a licensed professional. Depending on which state you are in, homeowners may be allowed to remove non-friable asbestos materials as long as the materials are under 10 square meters and completely bonded. DIY removal is strongly advised against by homeowners without the appropriate training and expertise. Several safety precautions will need to be taken into consideration to ensure the safety of yourself, your family, and your neighbours.

Safety tips for dealing with non-friable asbestos:

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• Use Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)
• Do not use power tools
• Do not water blast or brush materials
• Soak gently with water
• Avoid drilling, cutting, disturbing materials
• Seal off the entire area
• Dispose of properly according to state laws

The most effective way to safely identify the occurrence of asbestos is to have a sample of the material tested by a registered asbestos testing lab. Having the sample tested and positively (or negatively) identified as being asbestos by a trained asbestos sample technician is the only way to confirm that the property is absent from asbestos-containing materials before renovating. While it may seem like a hassle, remember, the initial financial outlay of the asbestos testing is far cheaper than needing to remove the material once asbestos has been completed.

If the test comes back positive for the presence of asbestos on the property, the contaminated materials must be removed, disposed of, and the area must be professionally remediated by an asbestos removal company before any construction work can be carried out. Property owners must be sure that their property is completely free from asbestos-contaminated materials before work can safely commence.

Above all, consult your local state or territory regulations before you begin moving or handling asbestos. Australian residents can access asbestos information by following the tips set out by safe work Australia.

About the Author

Liam is an Marketing Specialist with 9 years of industry experience. When he's not scouring the web for the marketing trends, he's walking his 3-year-old Golden Retriever "Ollie".

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