5 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Remove Asbestos Yourself
Asbestos was once very commonly used in construction for a variety of reasons. Fireproofing, insulation, and soundproofing, the list goes on. In New Zealand, asbestos is commonly found in many places around different properties constructed prior to 2000.
This means that Kiwi property owners often confront the reality of asbestos in their homes or businesses. When this happens, it can be tempting to DIY the asbestos removal. But the truth is, this can be even more dangerous than letting the asbestos remain.
With the adverse health effects tied to asbestos exposure, there are many reasons that you should call in the professionals for any asbestos removal management work. Read on to discover the top five reasons why you shouldn’t remove asbestos yourself.
Why is Asbestos Dangerous?
Asbestos, once inhaled, is quite dangerous to human health. While it doesn’t cause any immediate negative health effects, there are many latent side effects tied to asbestos exposure. Some of the most common include:
- Asbestosis. A long-term inflammation and scarring of the lungs that leads to further health complications.
- Mesothelioma. A type of cancer exclusively linked to long-term asbestos exposure.
- Collapsed lungs. Exposure to asbestos that affects your respiration can lead to collapsed lungs from the scarring.
This is why it’s vital to safely remove and dispose of asbestos and why we recommend that professionals tackle the work.
5 Vital Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Remove Asbestos Yourself
High Potential of Severe Health Risks
Asbestos is a fibrous material that’s usually incorporated into other materials, creating asbestos-containing materials (ACMs). These might be gib, popcorn ceilings, or even insulation. Across the board, these materials are generally stable unless they start to degrade or are disturbed during construction work.
Damaged materials will release asbestos fibres into the air, which can then be inhaled and cause long-term health issues. Without the right equipment and training, DIY asbestos removal can increase your exposure to these fibres.
Following Government Regulations
While you’re not legally required to hire professionals for asbestos removal management, New Zealand’s government has strict regulations to follow during asbestos removal. Handling asbestos should be done carefully, and doing it improperly can not only endanger you but it can also hurt the people in the properties around you.
Licensed professionals are trained to remove asbestos carefully in a way that follows these strict regulations.
Special Equipment is Required
One of the biggest reasons to skip DIY asbestos removal is that this practice requires a lot of specialised tools and safety equipment. Personal protective equipment, air-monitoring systems, and asbestos sampling kits are just some of the things you’ll need to access to make sure that you totally remove all traces of this hazardous substance from your property. These pieces of equipment can be difficult to find, but they can also be quite expensive once all is said and done. It’s often cheaper and safer to contract a team of professionals who will bring this equipment with them.
You Might Contaminate Your Property
Most demolition, removal, and renovation work generates a lot of dust and debris that can be tough to clean up. This goes double for asbestos removal because those microscopic fibres of asbestos can linger around your property for a long time after the main materials have been removed.
Asbestos becomes more dangerous the longer you are exposed to released fibres. So, these lingering remnants can actually be more dangerous than the stable materials. These fibres can also make your property unsafe for everyone who enters.
Professionals know how to contain asbestos properly, which means none of it is left behind. In fact, most professionals conduct post-removal surveys to test the air and surfaces for any remaining fibres to make sure everything is gone.
Proper Disposal is Required
Finally, asbestos can’t be disposed of like normal waste. While renovating your home would allow you to put removed materials in a bin or dumpster, asbestos-containing materials must be carefully sealed, labelled, and taken to a dedicated disposal facility.
Disposing of asbestos badly can put your health at risk, but it also puts public health at risk. Removal professionals have easy access to disposal facilities, and have a lot of practice sealing it safely.
Generally speaking, removing asbestos is a job best left to a licensed professional. Aside from the difficulty of removing a significant amount of material from your property, the long-term dangers presented by DIY asbestos removal are not worth the short-term results.
For the safety and well-being of yourself and those around you, we recommend always talking to certified experts in asbestos removal management if you discover asbestos in your home or business. And if you’re ever unsure, you can always reach out to the team at Consultex Labs.
Make sure your property is asbestos-free without any hassle or stress thanks to our professional asbestos removal management services.
At Consultex Labs, we provide independent asbestos removal management services that include bulk asbestos testing. We do this to help property owners clarify whether there is asbestos on their property, formulate an asbestos management plan, and initiate a safe removal plan.
We understand that time and accuracy are vital with this work, which is why we commit to delivering results quickly and accurately. Need quick and accurate bulk sampling? Get in touch with us today.