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Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral found in the surface of the earth, containing strong fibers that are highly durable, fire resistant and insulating. Asbestos fibers are 50 to 200 times thinner than human hair, can float in the air for a long time, be invisible and be inhaled into the lungs.Current scientific and medical evidence indicates that just living in a building that contains asbestos is not dangerous as long as the asbestos is not damaged or disturbed.It can be hard to tell whether your home has materials containing asbestos , just by looking. To help you identify asbestos products, asbestos fibers can be either firmly or loosely bound in a number of products once used in the construction industry.
Firmly-bound asbestos
Also known as bonded asbestos , fiber-cement products used to contain asbestos fibers, firmly embedded in a hardened cement medium. These days, asbestos has been replace with cellulose fibers in fiber-cement products. Asbestos-cement products that may be found around homes built before the 1970s, include:
- Flat or corrugated sheeting
- Roof shingles
- Water or flue pipes
- Imitation brick siding
- Flexible building boards
- Textured paint
- The backing of vinyl floor coverings
- Vinyl floor tiles
- Plaster patching mixtures
Loosely-bound asbestos
You may find the loose (or ' friable ') form of asbestos fibers in older styles of insulation used in home heaters and stoves, as well as ceiling insulation products. Today, glass fibers have replaced asbestos in insulation products.
What should you do if you find asbestos ?
Usually, the presence of asbestos-containing materials is no cause for alarm and you can leave the materials in place. For example, if internal asbestos-cement sheet walls are in good condition and coated with paint, they do not pose a health risk. External asbestos-cement roofs and siding do not need to be replaced unless they are broken or the surfaces are damaged. Asbestos-cement construction products can be maintained, removed or disposed of safely, as long as you take certain precautions to prevent the release of asbestos fibers or dust.
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Source by
Jenny Jackson
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