Remodeling your Home? Consider This!

Today's post is contributed by Jesse Herman, the Awareness Coordinator at the Mesothelioma Cancer Center. Read on!

Remodel Safely: Protect yourself & the Environment while saving Money

There are many things to consider when remodeling or buying an older home. Homes built before 1980 could easily contain asbestos. Of course, even homes build after 1980 still may contain products that are worth taking note of. As technology and long-terms cost efficiency is constantly evolving, so too is our need for environmentally and health safe building materials. If you are interested in remodeling, saving money and improving your environmental standing in the world, then here is some information to get a project started in the right direction.

In the Beginning

If you’ve thought about remodeling a home that was built before 1980, you’ll probably be faced with a number of toxic materials during the process, not the least of which will be asbestos. Asbestos insulation was used in millions of homes during the housing boom of the 20th century and though it’s safe to be around when it’s enclosed or in good condition, damaged asbestos can be a real problem. It can cause different types of mesothelioma, such as peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma. In addition, removing asbestos in order to replace it with a healthy alternative can be a pain as well – it needs to be removed by a licensed professional – but the end result is well worth the time and expense.

Asbestos Removal

Non-regulated asbestos material can be legally performed by homeowners, regular contractors, or licensed asbestos abatement contractors as long as the National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) are not violated.
The health risks involved in handling non regulated asbestos materials is small but the removal should be done in a manner that will minimize the release of fibers due to breakage. It is recommended, because breakage in inevitable, that one wears asbestos related safety equipment including a disposable tyvek suit, gloves and must be medically able to wear a half mask respirator with High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters, and adhere to the principles of wet removal and without visible emissions.
Removal in workplaces, schools and public facilities must be done by a licensed asbestos abatement contractor.

Disposal

The best way to dispose of asbestos is to bury it or any way that will prevent it from becoming airborne.
Service area landfills will often accept large amounts of asbestos provided it is properly contained or shipped in bulk.

Next week: Building Green.