Top Things to Know about Asbestos Demolition

Asbestos is a scary word, one that strikes dread in all property owners. It comes with very real risks and will require the services of a trained asbestos demolition crew to remediate it.

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring silicate mineral that can be found the world over, making the services of asbestos demolition far-reaching. Asbestos is the commercial and legal name given to denote six unique materials with varying uses:

1. Chrysotile (White Asbestos) - Commonly found in walls, roofs, and ceilings of homes and businesses. Also used for boiler seals, gaskets, pipe insulation, ducts, and appliances.
2. Amosite (Brown Asbestos) - Mostly used in ceiling tile, insulating boards, and cement sheets.
3. Crocidolite (Blue Asbestos) - Spray-on coatings, plastic, and cement products. Was commonly used to insulate steam engines.
4. Anthophyllite - used with some limitation for construction and insulation materials.
5. Tremolite - not used commercially.
6. Actinolite - not used commercially.

A Brief Commercial History of Asbestos

Asbestos is historically known for its fireproof characteristics. In 1280, Venetian Merchant and Explorer Marco Polo described the clothing made by Mongolian weavers as "fabric which would not burn." It wasn’t until the Industrial Revolution in the late 1800s that the commercialization of asbestos began to grow in strength. Its resistance to heat, water, electricity, and chemicals made it an irresistible commodity in building and powering steam engines. Canadians established the first commercial asbestos mines soon after chrysotile was discovered in southeastern Quebec in 1876. Scotland, Germany, and England were also establishing large asbestos industries. More mines continued to be discovered, from Europe to Africa. Its historical and widespread use make it likely that you will need the services of an asbestos demolition crew at some point.

The Dangers of Asbestos

The health effects of close contact with asbestos have been known and recorded since mankind became serious in mass mining the mineral. Roman Philosopher, Historian, and Naturalist Pliny the Elder wrote about the harmful effects of asbestos, even going as far as calling it the "disease of slaves." Pliny described how slave miners used the thin membrane of goat or lamb bladder to create a mask to filter out harmful asbestos particles. The Greek geographer Strabo recorded a "sickness of the lungs" among slaves who wove asbestos into cloth. Even early on, primitive attempts were being made at asbestos demolition.

Centuries later, scientists would classify asbestos as a carcinogen. We now have significant evidence that asbestos causes mesothelioma, a cancer that affects the thin membranes that line the chest and abdomen. This makes it critical that asbestos demolition is only done by trained professionals. Asbestos exposure also increases the risk of asbestosis, whose symptoms include:

• Shortness of breath
• Coughing
• Permanent lung damage and even lung cancer.

How to Avoid Asbestos Exposure

If you are a home DIY enthusiast, then this might be of concern to you, and you may require the services of an asbestos demolition company. You can put yourself at risk of asbestos exposure by drilling walls or replacing pipes. If you are remodeling an old home, you may find brown pebble-like insulation in places like your attic. There is a high chance that it is asbestos. Old vinyl tile floors are also clues to the presence of asbestos. Think that popcorn ceiling is too old school? Do not go rushing off to get your tools. Many textured ceilings, including popcorn ceilings, have concealed asbestos. Scraping it off will only expose you to microscopic asbestos fibers. Is your pipe insulation deteriorating? Chances are the insulation is made of asbestos. Drop your tools and get a second opinion. Remember, you cannot tell if a ceiling, wall, tiling, or pipe insulation has asbestos just by looking at it.

As a rule, refrain from drilling, sawing, breaking, peeling, scraping ANYTHING in your home before you get expert eyes on the object of your attention. DO NOT try asbestos demolition on your own either.

How to Remove Asbestos Safely

The harsh truth to this is - you can’t. You cannot do it alone, and you cannot do it if you are not trained to do so. You need people specifically trained to identify asbestos contamination and, during the process of asbestos demolition, to remove it safely.

The only way you can verify the presence of asbestos in an unmarked material is to send it to a lab for testing or hire an accredited asbestos inspector. Professionals trained in asbestos demolition will come in and inspect the area of concern. They will set up a containment area and they will be fully equipped with standard industry gear, like full-body suits and respirator masks, to do the job.

Hiring an asbestos demolition crew is not a one-size-fits-all situation. The size of your asbestos-contaminated area, as well as the size of the building and what kind of materials it is made of, will determine how long the process will take. Rest assured that the removers will do their best to work quickly and efficiently.

If you suspect that your home or workplace has undetected asbestos, it is best to call in professionals who are trained in asbestos demolition. They can guide you through the process and make your home safe again.

Alliance-Enviro is an environmental company that specializes in services such as mold remediation, asbestos abatement, demolition services, dryer duct cleaning, HVAC duct cleaning, lead paint removal, trauma clean up, etc. in Los Angeles, Orange County, Riverside, San Bernardino, Sacramento, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Ventura, and Santa Barbara. For more information, visit https://info.alliance-enviro.com/blog.

I'm a freelance copywriter and I write on a variety of topics.