Where Is Asbestos Common in a Home in Aspen, CO?

If you live in an older home (built before 1980), there’s a decent chance you have asbestos located somewhere in the house. It could be found under old floor or ceiling tiles, in roof shingles, flashing, siding, insulation, joint compound or pipe cement. This is because asbestos was very commonly used before the serious health hazards associated with it were discovered.

The good news is that having asbestos in your home does not necessarily mean you’re in immediate danger. In fact, asbestos only becomes dangerous if it’s released into the air. This means asbestos that becomes damaged could release its fibers into the air, which can eventually damage your respiratory system.

Say, for example, asbestos insulation around pipes and boilers begins to deteriorate. At that point it will release dust that gets into the air. This is also why you have to be very careful when performing any demolition work on your home—there’s a good chance it could result in some asbestos fibers being sent into the air, where they can be breathed in by you or other people in your household.

Check for asbestos

So, how exactly do you check for asbestos in Aspen, CO? After all, in many cases it is hidden behind walls, tiles or ceilings, which means you can’t exactly perform a reliable visual inspection to identify its presence.

Professionals will generally use one of two main methods for detecting asbestos: polarized light microscopy (PLM) or transmission electron microscopy (TEM). These are two of the most trusted methods of discovering asbestos without having to tear your home apart. Depending on the record-keeping associated with your home, you may be able to find out what building materials were used on your home, or which contractors did the work. This isn’t as reliable a method as the two aforementioned tests, though, because you won’t frequently find thorough records of building materials, even if you manage to find a contractor who worked on the home and is still in business. The older the house, the harder it gets to rely on those kinds of records.

If you find asbestos, your next steps depend on where it is located. If the material is in good condition or contained in such a way that the fibers will not be released, then your best bet is probably to do nothing for now, unless you are planning a remodel that requires you to do some demolition. If you find asbestos-containing material that is obviously degrading or at risk of releasing its fibers into the air, then you’ll need to work with a team of professionals to determine how best to safely remove it from your home. You should never take on an asbestos removal job yourself if you lack the proper training and equipment to get it done safely. Asbestos is not something you want to take lightly—even small amounts of exposure can be quite dangerous over time.

For more information about checking for asbestos in Aspen, CO, contact HealthSafe Inspections Inc. today.

Categorised in: Asbestos Testing

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