February 24th, 2008

While many homes are getting ready for the holidays, some homeowners are looking into the next year and what home improvements they will make. Asbestos in the home could put these plans on hold, but household asbestos is not always dangerous.

The New Year is a great time to plan renovations and home improvement projects for the year to come. Many homeowners, however, experience the unsettling idea of disturbing asbestos and potentially putting their family at risk of exposure. If removing flooring or ceiling materials that could contain asbestos, have the area being redone tested for asbestos. If the samples come back positive, it does not mean that the home has put the family in any danger thus far, but renovations being done to asbestos-containing surfaces need to be handled by a licensed professional.

Asbestos came to the forefront of people’s minds in the 1970s, when the United States limited the use of the substance. Asbestos exposure has been known to cause emphysema and mesothelioma, a type of lung cancer. Homebuilders still used the material into the 1980s, making older homes at higher risk of containing asbestos. If a surface containing asbestos has been damaged, it does not necessarily mean that the household will develop mesothelioma, or any other types of asbestos-related diseases. The materials should be handled with care, and only removed or renovated by professionals.