During the current economic slowdown and housing crisis, many homeowners are carrying out “do-it-yourself” home improvement projects, usually because they want to improve the value of their home and are hesitant to pay the costs involved in hiring a professional contractor. However, many older homes contain asbestos-laced materials that workers installed during the homes construction. Pipe insulation, heating ductwork and roofing tiles in older buildings often contain asbestos, which can be dangerous if broken and asbestos dust becomes airborne.
Various materials in the home potentially contain asbestos, including everything from roofing tar to artificial fireplace logs, both inside and outside the building. Intrepid do-it-yourself-ers should exercise proper safety techniques to reduce their chances of inhaling the dangerous dust.
Asbestos-containing materials can infiltrate even into the smallest cracks and most mundane areas of the house. For instance, many older homes have backing and adhesives in their flooring materials laced with asbestos. During the manufacturing process for these materials, asbestos was frequently used as a bonding agent for various forms of glue, caulk and cement. Drywall joint mixtures and plaster patches made as recently as thirty years ago could contain asbestos fibers.
In addition to the monetary costs of conducting “do-it-yourself” asbestos removal, there are potential hazards involved in starting such a project. Recommended safety measures include protective coveralls and breathing masks, as well as some of the legal ramifications of carrying out home asbestos removal without consulting state and federal agencies that enforce worker safety and environmental protection laws.
Doctors and scientists have established a wealth of information on the dangers of asbestos exposure, and activist groups have successfully campaigned for asbestos bans in many countries. When the microscopic asbestos fibers are airborne, workers can inadvertently breathe in the hazardous dust. Once the fibers work their way through the lungs, they can penetrate lung tissue.
The primary disease associated with asbestos exposure is mesothelioma, a form of cancer that attacks the fluid lining of the lungs (pleural mesothelium). Mesothelioma patients are typically asymptomatic for decades. However, when the symptoms appear, patients usually live a year or less.
MesotheliomaWeb.Org is a web site dedicated to educating mesothelioma patients and their families about this deadly disease, as well as providing the latest information on prevention, diagnosis and treatments. For more information, please visit http://www.mesotheliomaweb.org.
