Asbestos is a dangerous chemical that is both heat-resistant and fire-resistant. As such, before we knew much about it, it was used in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries in homes to keep them warm, and free of fire damage. It is found in many parts of the home, including tiling, boiler heating, HVAC systems, insulation, and more.
The problem with asbestos is that when it is in the air, humans can consume its particles, and those particles never leave the body. When that happens, deadly cancer called mesothelioma can be the outcome. There are different types of mesothelioma. Find out more about how your recent home improvement project might need a little more expert help than you anticipated.
History of Asbestos Use
Today, asbestos use in homes is illegal under many regulations, but it is still not completely banned even though legislators are fully aware of its dangers.
The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that 12 percent of homes lived in today were constructed before World War II. An additional 50 percent were built prior to 1980 when asbestos-related cancer began making its appearance. It can take anywhere from 10 to 50 years from the point of exposure for any of the different types of mesothelioma to be diagnosed.
This means that as much as 50 percent of American homes still contain asbestos, and impose the risk of mesothelioma upon its inhabitants.
Asbestos Exposure From Home Improvements
Breaking down walls and repainting ceilings is a part of any home improvement project, especially in old homes. If there is asbestos in those walls or ceilings, you expose yourself to deadly cancers. Your home doesn’t have to be a war-time home to have asbestos. Even homes from the 1970s with popcorn ceilings contain asbestos. Asbestos in homes older than that is called legacy asbestos.
Any kind of interference with the integrity of a home can lead to asbestos exposure.
How to Handle Home Improvements With Asbestos in the Home
The best way to handle home improvements when you are renovating an older home is to call professionals. Unfortunately, this is an additional expense, but many experts today acknowledge the unwanted and undeserved financial burdens of people with asbestos exposure.
The most important tip when renovating an old home is to just be careful. Any disruption of asbestos products can put particles in the air that you can not see. Improving or upgrading insulation, taking down a popcorn ceiling, changing the seals on a boiler, are all things that could lead to asbestos exposure.
Call in asbestos abatement professionals that will help you to remove the asbestos before you continue your projects, or before you hire someone else to do that.
If you have already been diagnosed with one of the types of mesothelioma, and you believe it’s because of your home, there is help for that as well.
Book a Free Consultation
Today, mesothelioma lawyers have access to the information that can lead mesothelioma patients to financial compensation for this cancer. If you have been exposed to asbestos, you may be eligible for this compensation. Book a free consultation to learn more about the help available for mesothelioma patients.
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