Construction & Contractors Blog
While tearing into a wall during a home improvement project, you may have discovered you have asbestos insulation in your home. Because you are concerned about the health hazards associated with the material, you decided to attempt to remove it yourself. Before doing so, however, read the following tips for safely handling it.
Inspect The Condition Of The Insulation
Before you begin removing any asbestos insulation, visually inspect it carefully to make sure it is safe for you to attempt the job yourself. When undamaged, the asbestos does not pose an immediate threat to your health because it is the broken off fibers that are inhaled.
If you do not see any crumbling or deterioration, you could try to remove the sheets. However, look at the edges of the seams to make sure they are intact and easy to pry apart. Do not attempt to cut into the asbestos yourself, since this could release the dangerous fibers into the air.
If you cannot remove the insulation without cutting into it or find crumbling areas, do not try to remove the asbestos material yourself. A professional should be consulted that deals with asbestos abatement and removal so the hazard is not spread throughout your home.
Seal Off The Room Before Handling
After inspecting the insulation, you may find that you can easily remove the sheets without disturbing the fibers. Even if there is no visible damage, the room should be sealed off as a precautionary measure. If one of the sheets is dropped, there is a chance it could break and spread asbestos fibers into the rest of the house.
Thick plastic should be used to seal off the doors and windows to the room in which you are working. Use a sturdy tape like duct tape to seal off any gaps around the edges once you are inside the room.
Wet Down The Insulation Before Attempting To Remove It
Once you have sealed off the room, use a plastic spray bottle to wet down the insulation. The moisture will keep any loose fibers stuck to the sheet, keeping it from going airborne.
When spraying each sheet, pay particular attention to the edges. These areas are most likely to have a breakdown that you may not have seen during your initial inspection.
If you are still concerned about having to handle asbestos even if it is intact, you may want to contact a contractor that specializes in asbestos abatement. They can send someone to you home to inspect the walls and recommend the best plan of action for getting the hazardous material out of your house.
Share3 June 2015
My name is Debbie Greenberg. I’m a single woman who owns her home, and like most homeowners I dread home repairs. I’m not very handy with do-it-yourself projects around the house. I can do a few minor repairs when necessary, but for the most part I have to call in a professional. Last year I had a leak in my roof. When it rained, water would leak into my kitchen. What appeared to be a simple fix turned out to be anything but simple. It took over four months to finally identify the problem, and double the money I was initially quoted to fix it. The problem ended up being that the flat part of my roof didn't have shingles, but a sheeting material. I learned a bit about home roofs along the way, and that is what I want to share with you.
