In 2016, four suburbs located in Sydney ranked in the top 20 list of areas with the most risk of asbestos contamination in the entire New South Wales. According to a report, the suburbs of Lalor Park, Doonside, Seven Hills, and Blacktown were part of the so-called “asbestos belt” of Sydney since they contain hundreds of houses built after the Second World War that contain cement asbestos fibro materials.
The report also found out that most people residing in these areas were not aware that they live in a fibro home. The expertise of a company providing services like asbestos testing in Sydney is required to make sure that a property is not at risk of getting contaminated with asbestos. Aside from finding out the possibility of asbestos contamination, here are several ways to protect your family from exposure to this highly toxic construction material.
Identify Asbestos-Rich Materials
Most of the time, you cannot tell if a material has some asbestos component using the naked eye. But if you suspect that it has asbestos, you need to leave it alone and call a company who are experts in asbestos testing in Sydney for further testing. They will send licensed professionals to have your home inspected for asbestos-containing materials that are at risk of crumbling due to old age. The services will also come in handy if you plan to remodel your home since there is a massive chance of disturbing the material and sending particles of it in the air.
The trained asbestos specialist would take samples to a laboratory for analysis if they determined that the fibres have damage or are at risk of disruption, and then you must have it removed right away.
How to Deal With Asbestos At Home
You do not need to panic if the trained asbestos professional tells you that you have asbestos at home. If the materials are not damaged, or you will not disturb it anytime soon, then it will not cause any serious health risk for you or anyone in your household. You may leave it alone if the materials are in good condition. But if it shows signs of wear and tear such as water damages or abrasions, you need to act immediately about releasing asbestos fibres in the air. Remember, you are not supposed to handle these materials on your own. You need professional help to guide you in removing these items from your property.
Also, it is very crucial to prevent anyone from sweeping, dusting, or vacuuming any debris that may contain asbestos. You also need to avoid sanding, sawing, or drilling holes in materials containing asbestos. Also, the use of brushes and abrasive pads to strip wax from flooring materials with asbestos can get dangerous. If you are not sure about what to do about this construction material, you can ask for the opinion of a licenced asbestos service provider to help you take care of it properly.
How To Treat Asbestos Problems
There are two main kinds of actions that you may consider if you confirmed that the asbestos materials are damaged or if you have any disturbed asbestos materials in your property. The first one is repairing it using a sealing or encapsulation treatment or covering it with a durable material that prevents the release of the asbestos fibres. Meanwhile, you may also opt to have the material removed to eliminate the risk of asbestos contamination. But you cannot do this on your own. You need professional help to take away the materials from your house to avoid possible asbestos exposure.
Dealing with asbestos at home can get tricky, since it may put you at high risk of acquiring asbestos-related illnesses like severe lung diseases and cancer. For this reason, you need to address the problem immediately. Call an expert for these matters quickly to put your mind at ease and avoid any possible asbestos contamination.
AUTHOR: Ruby Hamilton
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