Asbestos is extremely dangerous and surprisingly, it’s not just something you find in very old homes. In some parts of the world, asbestos is still used, and if you have a home built up until the early-2000s, you could have a risk of asbestos being present in your home. Here are some simple ways you can find out whether your home has asbestos.
Find out the year of construction
You can usually check with your local building regulation team and find out what year your property was built, and this should give you an indication of the likelihood of asbestos being present. The 70s and 80s were some of the worst times for asbestos use, so if your home is from this era, and hasn’t had this kind of inspection, now is the time.
Know the common asbestos uses
There are certain areas of the home that were often built with asbestos, especially when it was such a popular material. Many people look for asbestos removal services Perth because they’ve had a test done and found it in the most common areas, such as:
- Older vinyl tiles
- Ceiling tiles
- Roofing
- Insulation around your pipes
If any of these areas are old and need replacing, you will likely need an asbestos test before work is done, in case any of these materials are disturbed.
Get an asbestos test
Unless you’re an expert, the only way to really find out if you have asbestos is to get a professional in to do a quick test. You should never prod or poke suspected asbestos to see if you can identify it, as this can make it unstable and extremely dangerous. Professional asbestos certified workers can run a simple, safe test to see if an area contains asbestos, then give you advice on how to remove it.
While asbestos was made illegal in most places over 20 years ago, you may be surprised how much of it is still lurking in people’s homes, potentially posing a danger. In theory, asbestos isn’t dangerous until disturbed, but if it becomes damp, damaged or accidentally gets knocked, older asbestos can let off fibres which can be extremely dangerous if they get into your lungs. The worst thing is, the damage may not show for decades, until you get a lung condition in later life. You can avoid this by ensuring your home is asbestos free and any asbestos is removed by the experts.
