As you go through a home inspection process, we as your agents often recommend inspections for lead, radon and asbestos, especially if your home was built before 1960. These materials are carcinogens known to cause cancer through heavy, repeated exposure.
When buying homes that are older, make sure that you have the home thoroughly inspected for any health risks such as lead paint or asbestos insulation. These materials were commonly used several decades ago, before anyone realised how toxic they really are. If you find any toxic substances you can have them removed safely or look for a healthier home.
Today asbestos is a common concern in older housing stock and is often overlooked. It later becomes a surprise issue during the building inspection phase of a contract negotiation. Asbestos is a concern given exposures to fibers have been known to be a potential health risk. So what are the facts about asbestos? And how can you performing an inspection that will address asbestos in a practical and meaningful way?
Finding Asbestos In Your Home
Asbestos is a mineral ore which was mined and refined to produce a strong, versatile fiber used in hundreds of construction and building materials. In homes and buildings the most common asbestos containing materials are:
- Vinyl flooring (usually in the form of 9 inch square tiles)
- Pipe insulation (found on boiler pipes leading to radiators)
- Asbestos canvass used on or as part of HVAC ducting
- Asbestos board panels installed above boilers as a fire barrier
- Asbestos shingles used for roofing and siding on the exterior of homes
- Asbestos duct pipe used as cementious duct runs embedded in concrete slabs
Asbestos inspections are meant to discover these materials and address whether or not there is any concern regarding condition or exposure risk. In many cases, such as with flooring tile, there is little to no obvious risk to the material in normal conditions. Yet other materials such as pipe insulation can be subject to damage during remodeling or from frequent disturbance in living areas.
In some cases you may need to test a small sample to confirm if the material is or is not asbestos. This lab test is called a PLM (polarized light microscopy) and reports asbestos content as a percentage of the material make up. Those materials which indicate for greater than 1% asbestos content are considered asbestos materials. Most of us are not exposed to high amounts of asbestos in our daily lives. However, if asbestos is in your home, disruption of the material can result in the substance potentially becoming airborne and inhaled into the lungs. Lung cancer and other diseases are linked to asbestos exposure so you do want to take care to minimize this risk!
Call us if you're a home buyer or seller and you have any questions or concerns regarding asbestos materials. We can connect you with experienced, trained, and licensed professionals who will take thier time to explain these issues to you without provoking unnecessary fear.
If you or a potential homebuyer suspects that there may be an asbestos problem in a property, it is wise to schedule an inspection to determine the severity of the problem. Asbestos in homes poses a potential health risk and should be dealt with immediately.
Asbestos is a heat- and fire-resistant material that was used in homes before 1960 in insulation for heating pipes and attics, as well as roofing and siding materials. Asbestos is made of long fibers that can be breathed in easily. When inhaled, these fibers can become lodged in internal body tissues, and this can cause cancer. Most people develop no symptoms unless they are exposed to high amounts of asbestos. In older homes, often the best thing you can do is to leave asbestos material that is in good condition alone. You are not in danger unless the material is damaged and fibers are released and inhaled. The inspection will determine if the asbestos is deteriorating and causing a problem and needs to be removed.
If either radon or asbestos is found in the property and you like the home, you shouldn’t necessarily pass on buying it. With the help of your real estate agent, you can get a recommendation for experts who can prescribe treatment and give you estimates. From there, you can decide whether it’s worth it to negotiate purchase price of the property with the home owner. Often the professionals licensed to treat these problems are licensed for both radon and asbestos, so you can deal with one person. Both situations are common enough that they can be taken care of easily and do not need to stop you from buying the home.
About Josette
