There are many important things to consider when purchasing a new home, including the hiring of a certified home inspector to survey the structure prior to finalizing a purchase. Potential homebuyers rely on their home inspector to inform them of any structural issues or damage that may need to be repaired. However, what the majority of home inspectors are failing to mention is that there may be asbestos-containing materials within a residence. In the U.S., approximately 35 million residences contain structural materials that are laden with dormant asbestos, which has been linked to the development of pleural mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a cancer that affects the lining of the lungs and has no known cure.
For many home inspectors, a thorough search for asbestos within a residence is not considered to be a priority, and is not necessarily part of their inspection. This presents a serious concern for potential homebuyers, as they may not know that the residence which they just purchased contains potentially harmful asbestos. This would be of even greater concern if the new homeowners moved in and attempted a variety of home renovations, including the installation of insulation or removal of asbestos floor tiles, which may put the homeowner at risk of asbestos inhalation. Prior to 1980, the majority of homes were built using asbestos-containing materials, including insulation, drywall compound, floor and ceiling tiles, roofing materials, stucco, and certain adhesives.
There has been a longstanding debate regarding the positive and negative implications of asbestos disclosure by home inspectors. There do exist issues of liability if a home inspector were to inspect a residence and not search for asbestos. This is particularly true if a homeowner were to become exposed to asbestos within their residence and were to eventually develop mesothelioma or other asbestos-related health complications. The Mesothelioma and Asbestos Awareness Center urges all home inspectors to properly examine all residences for asbestos-containing materials and subsequently inform potential homeowners. For further information, including a comprehensive list of structural materials that may contain asbestos, please visit The Mesothelioma and Asbestos Awareness Center website.
The Mesothelioma and Asbestos Awareness Center has long been regarded as the web’s leading informational resource for information regarding mesothelioma, related mesothelioma treatment options, and other important related information.
For further information, please visit The Mesothelioma and Asbestos Awareness Center.
