By Robert Corter

When planning to test for asbestos in your home, it is important to find an unbiased accredited laboratory with enough extensive experience in doing analysis of samples sent by homeowners for asbestos testing. This will ensure that you get the results you need accurately before carrying out your home renovation or remodeling plans.

Asbestos testing in homes is a must, especially for houses that were built before 1985, since it was only after this year that materials containing asbestos were properly labeled as such. Asbestos is a known carcinogen and prolonged exposure to it has long been associated to the development of lung diseases including cancer and asbestosis.

It is important to hire professionals to do the home asbestos test for you. Analysis of materials for asbestos content is done in a qualified laboratory. The most that a homeowner can do is to collect a sample of a suspected asbestos containing material and send it to asbestos testing professionals. It is an essential aspect of the testing process to call a professional prior to taking samples so that you can be advised on how to do it properly.

Asbestos has been used extensively on building materials before they were proven to cause some detrimental health problems in humans and pets alike. The home, however, is not the only place in which asbestos contamination can happen. Commercial spaces built around the time of wide asbestos usage may also pose a threat. Asbestos in texture ceiling as well as in floor tiles are not uncommon for these establishments, and as such should also be considered for testing if your are planning on remodeling or doing any other types of repair to it.

An area that is suspected of asbestos content should be isolated for preferably two days before a sample can be taken. If a test for asbestos turns out to be positive, removing the contaminated material is not always necessary. In fact, doing this may increase the risk of asbestos fibers becoming airborne. Repairing the contamination to keep it in place is usually the best option. Repairs can only be done by professionals highly trained in the safe handling of asbestos. This can be done in either of two ways:

Encapsulation. This method of repair is also known as ‘sealing’ and is done by applying a sealant on the material to bind or coat the asbestos fibers on it and keep them from being released. This is the method of repair done on furnaces, pipes and boiler insulators.

Enclosure. This method of repair is also called ‘covering’. This is done by putting another material over the one that contains asbestos to prevent fibers from becoming airborne. Protective wrapping or jacket may be used.

Choosing to get asbestos containing material repaired is cheaper and safer than getting them removed. So if a test for asbestos for either the home or the workplace warrants treatment of an asbestos problem, consider getting them repaired first. Do not get asbestos containing materials removed unless absolutely necessary.

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