Asbestos was a popular construction material on Atlanta homes built before 1980. It was used in many places throughout the home, including floor tiles, ceiling tiles, roof shingles, siding, and insulation. It was used for its fire retardant and insulating properties, before the dangers were fully understood.
Asbestos can cause severe health problems, including mesothelioma, a condition that causes lung cancer. If you have an older Atlanta home, realizing you may have asbestos in place can be of concern, especially when it’s a family home with young children. But what does it mean?
The reason asbestos causes lung damage is the fibers of the substance. When aspirated, these fibers collect in the lungs. Repeated exposure causes these deposits to grow and eventually cause lung inflammation. From there, it can impact health in a variety of ways, including gastrointestinal, colorectal, throat, kidney, esophagus and gallbladder cancers.
Millions of homes across the United States contain some form of asbestos inside the home. And most people will encounter asbestos at some point in time. It’s important to understand that asbestos-related illnesses are usually only found in people with the highest risk factors – those that work and handle asbestos products and building materials on a regular basis. To leave it sitting in your house untouched will not put you at risk. A consistent dose of asbestos in regular intervals will have serious ramifications over time.
If your Atlanta house was built prior to 1980, you may have concerns or already know your home contains asbestos in the insulation and duct work. The most important thing to remember is that these substances will only harm you if you disturb them. Asbestos is only dangerous once the fibers become airborne. Therefore, try your best not to disturb asbestos that insulates your home or your ducts.
Seek professional advice any time you choose to work on your ductwork through any repair or renovation process.
Does your ductwork contain asbestos?
Ductwork Cleaning in Atlanta
Do you think your house might be hiding asbestos? Contact R.S. Andrews today for an air duct cleaning—(470) 264-8128!