Asbestos
is a natural fireproof mineral with a white,
grayish appearance. In 1989 the EPA ordered a
phase-out policy of all asbestos products. This
fibrous substance can be found in many existing products
such as some floor and ceiling tiles, pipe and duct
wrapping, older roofing materials, plaster, siding composites,
texture paints and more. There has been evidence
that some forms of asbestos can cause lung cancer and
mesothelioma.
Asbestos puts us at risk especially when it becomes
friable, flakes into the air and ultimately into our
lungs. There are many procedures available such
as encapsulation, to seal and remove any potential risk.
Polo & Associates will attempt to identify
asbestos products and New Jersey state certified labs
are available should you require a sample analysis.
Asbestos in Older Buildings
Asbestos was used extensively in construction in the middle decades of the 20th Century. In the 1970s builders started phasing out use of asbestos-containing materials. Although it is still legal for manufacturers to sell asbestos products today and it continues to be used in automobile brakes, houses built in the past 20 years do not include asbestos. Legacy asbestos from decades ago remains a potential hazard in older buildings. Experts in the health effects of asbestos recommend that only professionals remove old asbestos products from buildings.
Home building products manufactured today do not contain asbestos, however, this is not the case for products manufactured prior to the mid 1970s. Many people remodeled or removed these products themselves, often without adequate protection. In the course of this work, products were cut, torn, sawed, scraped, sanded or had deteriorated to the point where dangerous fibers were released into the air and inhaled. Common asbestos products found in older homes include:
Steam pipes, boilers and furnace ducts insulated with an asbestos blanket or asbestos paper tape.
Resilient floor tiles made of vinyl asbestos, asphalt and rubber; backing on vinyl sheet flooring and adhesives used in the installation process.
Cement sheets, millboard and paper used as insulation around furnaces and woodburning stoves.
Door gaskets found on furnaces, wood stoves and coal stoves.
Soundproofing or decorative materials sprayed on walls and ceilings.
Patching compounds, joint compounds and textured paint used on walls and ceilings.
Asbestos cement roofing, shingles and siding materials.
Artificial ashes and embers for use in gas fireplaces.
Elevated levels can occur in homes where asbestos-containing materials are damaged or disturbed. It is best to leave undamaged asbestos material alone if it is not likely to be disturbed.
Epithelial mesothelioma cancer is caused by inhalation of asbestos fibers. The tumor develops on the mesothelium, the lining of the body’s internal cavities. The Centers for Disease Control counted 18000 mesothelioma deaths in the United States over the seven-year period from 1999 to 2005, with 2704 deaths in 2005. During this period the annual death rate was about 14 per million.
The agency expects the number of mesothelioma deaths to peak in 2010, and to begin to decline, as the improvements in safety and reduction in asbestos use instituted decades ago payoff. The latency period of malignant mesothelioma can be decades, so even though asbestos is used less widely today, people continue to get mesothelioma due to their exposure in the past.
It was a pleasure meeting you.We
were extremely pleased with your inspection. Was by
far the best one we have had. Very thorough and explained
everything.. Will definitely refer you to friends and
family if they need a house inspection.
Thank You,
Terry & Jennifer R. - Parsippany
I was very pleased with your
service, the professionalism and thoroughness of your
inspections. I’d be happy to serve as a reference
for you.
Regards,
Monica F. - Howell
Very helpful, professional,
insightful and accomodating. I would recommend you to
my other clients. Thank you.
