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#102173
   

Asbestos in your home


What is asbestos used for in the home?

  • insulating materials

  • floor coverings

  • household appliances

Is the presence of asbestos in the home something to worry about?

  • new products and materials

  • used products
        - floor covering
        - household appliances

  • damaged or crumbly material

Precautions

For major projects

 

What is asbestos used for in the home?
A great many asbestos-containing materials are used in residential buildings because of the special qualities that make this product suitable for specific uses: thermal and acoustical insulation, fire protection, strengthening of other materials, etc.
Insulating materials
Asbestos, which is resistant to both heat and cold, is added to insulating materials such as textiles, papers and shingles used:

  • in ceilings, roofs and walls;

  • in household appliances, in furnaces and in pipe coverings,

  • on walls and ceilings exposure to the heat of a stove or furnace.

Floor coverings
Added to vinyl tiles and used as backing for vinyl sheet flooring, asbestos strengthens floor coverings, making them more resistant to humidity, as well as scratches and scuffmarks.
Household appliances
Asbestos is used for thermal insulation in the heat shields and filler of various household appliances: toasters, irons, deep-fryers, slow-cookers, dishwashers, refrigerators, ovens, range hoods, clothes dryers, etc...

Is the presence of asbestos in the home something to worry about?
Scientific and medical research has revealed that excessive exposure to inhaled asbestos dust can be dangerous to health. It should be noted, however, that the risks are generally related to exposure during handling of asbestos fiber in work environments.

New products and materials
Asbestos fibers are not harmful unless released into the air. But the asbestos used in buildings materials and household appliance parts on the market today is literally locked-in in solid matter, which effectively prevents fibers from being released into the air.

The installation of asbestos-based products and materials therefore presents practically no risk. The only general precaution would be to make sure that the products and materials are not damaged during handling.

Conversely, asbestos-based materials already in your home are best left alone, to avoid releasing asbestos fibers. There is no risk involved, as long as the material is neither crumbly nor damaged.

Used products

  • Floor covering - There is no danger that the fibers contained in linoleum or tiles will be released, no matter how worn they get. Tests have shown that, under the roughest use, vinyl-asbestos floor covering releases only negligible quantities of fiber. However, sanding or any other operation that might damage or tear the materials should be avoided.

  • Household appliances - According to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), household appliances now on the market do not release enough fiber to give anyone cause to worry.

  • Damaged or crumbly materials - The risk of inhaling fibers is greater during the repair or removal of some asbestos-containing materials, because such work can release shards or dust into the air. Installation or renovation activities can also, on occasion, require the cutting or drilling of certain part, which could cause dust to be released or crumbly materials to be uncovered. Do-it-yourselfers who would like to remove or repair asbestos-containing materials should make sure they take the precautions described on the following page. If there is any doubt, it is recommended that an expert in building materials be consulted.

Precautions
WHEN STRIPPING away material, remove whole pieces, or fragments that are as large as possible. This is particularly easy in the case of blocks of pipe insulation, which are molded to fit pipes closely and can therefore be removed without breaking.
WET the materials that are being removed, cut or drilled.
PLACE the material that is removed and the debris in plastic garbage bags and tie bags carefully.
DO NOT USE a vacuum cleaner to pick up dust. Asbestos fibers and particles are so small that they can pass through normal vacuum cleaner filters and become airborne.
CLEAN the room or work area with wet mops or sponges. Repeat a second time. Rinse the mops and sponges in running water in a sink or basin with a drain.
NEVER SAND a material containing asbestos, especially vinyl-asbestos tiles and linoleum, and avoid tearing.

 

For major projects
If a renovation project requires fairly extensive work, it may be wise to call in a contractor. In this case, check into his experience in handling asbestos-containing materials, and discuss the preventive measures he plans to take.