Many home improvement centres sell low-cost asbestos testing kits. These kits include detailed instructions for collecting and sending the suspected asbestos for lab analysis safely.
If the suspected asbestos material isn’t damaged and won’t be disturbed in the future, it poses very little health risk. It may only need to be encapsulated or covered via the safest asbestos testing Adelaide.
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring silicate minerals that are bonded together to form long, thin fibrils. These fibres are so tiny that they cannot be seen without a microscope, and they can be inhaled when the materials they are in are disturbed and become airborne. When inhaled, asbestos irritates the lung tissue and can cause diseases such as lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis.
Asbestos was once popular in manufacturing and building because it is heat and chemical-resistant, fire-retardant, does not rust and provides a high level of insulation. It can be found in many products, including roofing, ceiling and floor tiles, insulation and ducting.
The most common way that people are exposed to asbestos is by breathing in tiny fibres. Most commonly, this happens when the material is being removed or if it becomes damaged during renovations.
How do I know if I have Asbestos in my home?
There are some clues you can look for, but the only way to know for sure if materials in your home contain asbestos is the safest asbestos testing Adelaide. If you find what could be asbestos in your home, or if you’re doing a remodelling project and suspect you might encounter it, contact a trained and accredited asbestos professional straight away. They will take a sample of the material for testing in their laboratory, and you can stay away from that area until they’ve finished.
You might be tempted to try to take your sample of asbestos, especially if you’re doing a remodelling job that might disturb it, such as removing a popcorn ceiling or floor mastic. However, it’s always best to leave that kind of work to a professional. Even then, you should wear a respirator and eye protection while sampling.
Most DIY asbestos kits are designed for solid and brittle materials, such as pipe insulation or shingle siding. They usually ask you to cut off a small piece of the material and then seal it in a plastic bag. The kit will also include a pre-paid mailer that you can use to send it to the lab for analysis. The cost for this is often cheaper than hiring a professional. The kit will tell you how long to expect to wait for results, and you should follow the instructions carefully.
What are the health effects of Asbestos?
Asbestos can cause disease when tiny asbestos fibres are inhaled. They can enter the lungs and remain there, causing scarring that leads to breathing problems. These fibres can also cause cancer. Symptoms of exposure are often not evident for a long time, especially in people with extensive exposure. If you have worked with asbestos in the past, it is important to get regular health examinations. These should include a medical history, chest x-ray and lung function tests.
People who work with asbestos-containing materials are at high risk of developing diseases associated with exposure to the material, particularly those who have significant occupational exposure. Other factors that increase the likelihood of illness include level of exposure, length of exposure and smoking history. Lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma are all related to asbestos exposure.
In general, the danger of asbestos is minimal if it is in good condition and not disturbed. It is only when the material is disturbed that it may become airborne and be inhaled. Disturbing the material can include cutting, tearing, scraping or sanding it.
What should I do if I find Asbestos in my home?
If the building materials containing asbestos are not damaged or won’t be disturbed (by remodelling, for example), then it is generally safe to leave them alone. However, it is recommended that you pay for the safest asbestos testing Adelaide from a qualified professional. It can be done in a number of ways, such as air sampling or taking samples and sending them to a laboratory for analysis.