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The Very Real Dangers of Asbestos: What you Should Know

While we all know that the use of asbestos in Australia is banned, there are still many older buildings across the country that do contain this harmful substance. Any property built before 1980 might very well contain asbestos and while this does not pose a threat if the material is undisturbed, should you ever decide to carry out some renovations, this could present a very real danger to you and your family’s health.

How is Asbestos Dangerous?

When material is disturbed, the minute slivers of asbestos can quickly become airborne and should they be inhaled, this can cause serious respiratory disease, such as asbestosis and certain forms of lung cancer. The really dangerous aspect is that this can occur without you even realising and it could take years for the symptoms to show up and by that time, the damage is already done. If, for example, you are planning a kitchen renovation and you are unsure as to whether or not there is asbestos in your home, there is affordable asbestos removal on Central Coast and they would be happy to carry out tests looking for the presence of asbestos.

Building Materials That Might Contain Asbestos

Due to the fire-resistant properties of asbestos, the material was used to manufacture partition boards and sheeting and other items listed below.

  • Building Sheets & Partitions
  • Duct Tape
  • Pipe Insulation
  • Cladding Materials

Asbestos is naturally found and used to be extensively mined, at least until the 1970s, when it was finally discovered to be very harmful to all mammals, not just humans. Such is the problem, there is a huge industry dedicated to the safe removal of asbestos when it is discovered and one should not take any chances. If your home is post-1980s build, then you can rest assured that asbestos was not used in the construction process, but for properties before that date, there is a very real risk that some of the materials contain asbestos.

Home Improvements

This is the time when you risk exposure to asbestos; you might be renovating the kitchen and are preparing to rip out the sheeting, and this is all it takes to send harmful asbestos slivers into the atmosphere, which can easily be inhaled. Unfortunately, it isn’t possible to tell whether something contains asbestos by looking at it and you should always call in an asbestos removal company who can carry out some tests to determine the presence of this dangerous fibre.

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