Are There Situations In Which Asbestos Can Be Left Alone?
ShareAre you wondering whether the asbestos in your property needs to be removed? Asbestos can be incredibly dangerous, but there are certain circumstances in which it may be sufficiently contained so that it doesn't need to be taken out entirely.
If the Asbestos Is Fully Contained
Asbestos in walls, such as asbestos insulation, usually isn't a danger as long as it is contained. But it needs to be fully contained -- even small amounts of asbestos entering into the air over a long period of time can cause health issues. If there are cracks in the wall or if the insulation can get into heating and cooling vents, the asbestos will need to be removed. Asbestos in the attic can also be unsettled by pests, such as squirrels, causing it to infiltrate the air.
If the Asbestos Is Not Disturbed
If your asbestos is in materials such as "popcorn ceilings," it's generally safe unless it is disturbed. Any time it is disturbed, however, it can become dangerous. For instance, children might try to scrape off a popcorn ceiling if they can reach it. Not all acoustic ceilings contain asbestos, but it's usually not possible to tell whether they do without a comprehensive testing by an asbestos abatement team.
It should be noted that any construction could potentially disturb asbestos -- such as considering knocking down a wall that has asbestos insulation, or even just running wiring through such a wall. Consequently, an asbestos abatement team will need to be called in to resolve the asbestos issue before any construction-related modifications are made.
If You Aren't Planning to Sell the Property
When you sell a property, you are required to list the presence of asbestos in your Seller's Disclosures. This can make the property incredibly unattractive to buyers, who may have health concerns and who may also wonder how much it will cost them to get an asbestos abatement team to resolve the problem. On the other hand, if you're not planning to sell the property for a while -- and the asbestos has not affected air quality -- you might not need to consider this.
There are situations in which asbestos can be left within a home, but even when the decision is made to leave asbestos on a property, an asbestos abatement team should still be called in to conduct an air quality test and to ensure that the asbestos has not infiltrated other areas. For more information, contact Advanced Remediation Solutions Inc. or a similar company.