Homeowners with acoustic asbestos ceiling question about the effects of asbestos contained within its materials that if inhaled would cause serious health hazards.

If material contains more than 1% of asbestos, EPA defines as it's containing. However, asbestos can only be positively identified by microscope. Many of the homes built prior to 1980s observe acoustic asbestos ceilings, and the removal of acoustic asbestos ceiling has become commonly done for environmental safety precautions.

Many homes contain acoustic asbestos ceiling in their bedrooms, living rooms, with spray-applied textures. However, asbestos materials are also in pipe insulation, shingles, floor tile, mastics, roofing, structural steel fireproofing, etc.

University of Arizona Dept. of Risk Management and Safety explains the hazards of asbestos in the following manner.

"Asbestos is a respiratory hazard and espiratory/gastrointestinal carcinogen. Exposure to asbestos occurs when reparable fibers are released into the air and then inhaled. Since exposure occurs when asbestos is inhaled, the best way to prevent exposure is to prevent asbestos fibers from becoming airborne.

Asbestos containing materials are therefore divided into two categories: friable and non-friable. Friable means that a material is able to be reduced to powder by hand pressure. Asbestos containing materials that are friable, by their nature, have a much greater tendency to release fibers. They require specific control measures to prevent releasing fibers into the air. Conversely, non-friable asbestos containing materials, by their nature, do not want to give up their fibers into the air. This class of materials must be mechanically impacted (power tools such as sanders, drills, chippers, saws, etc.) to release fibers. Asbestos containing textured ceiling materials is a friable material."

Is Asbestos Ceiling Removal Hazardous?

Although breathing of asbestos fibers post threats to human health, unless air contamination occurs to cause releasing of asbestos airborne and becomes friable, it would not affect environment. Moreover, several layers of paint applied to the ceiling over the years serves to “seal” acoustic asbestos ceiling and withhold materials from dangerously contacting occupants.

Homeowners should not unnecessarily impact the ceiling by placing fixtures onto the ceiling or by moving objects surrounding the environment. When done improperly, asbestos becomes into airborne and increases the risk of releasing its fibers to be inhaled. Because asbestos fibers are small and light, they can be suspended in the air for long periods of time. Therefore, unprofessional management of acoustic asbestos ceiling removal should not be preceded and a licensed asbestos abatement professional must conduct removal.

What Is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a natural mined mineral. Its very nature, long, thin cotton-like fibers, make it a wonderfully useful material, but also make it deadly. The fact that it can be spun and woven just like cotton only served to ensure its widespread use. Prior to 1989, asbestos was used in drywall joint compound, textured wall treatments, vinyl floor tiles, ceiling tiles, roofing materials, including shingles, siding, certain types of countertops, concrete, bricks, and pipe and electrical insulation, in addition to many uses outside of construction.

Asbestos is still in use as a building material in China, India and other countries, but it has been banned for most uses in the United States since the late 1980's when its phase out began.

What Should You Do About It?

The form it is in, such as asbestos siding, may not harmful. However, the mere suspicion of it can scare away prospective buyers or kill your deal. Therefore, even if you only suspect that asbestos may be present, get it tested for and if present, get it remediated. Because asbestos was so widely used, many remediation services are available, but it must be done by a licensed contractor who specializes in asbestos removal.

There are two basic ways of dealing with asbestos: Removing it or sealing it so it cannot become airborne. Removal by a contractor licensed by the federal or state EPA is the gold standard. However, like many gold-standards, it is expensive. Sealing costs much less and may be appropriate under certain circumstances.

I would definitely not recommend this as a do-it-yourself project.

REMEMBER: Because of asbestos' hazard to health, once you are aware of it, you should get it remediated. Of course, once you are aware of a its presence, you will need to disclose it. This is another reason to correct problems before putting your house on the market, if it is gone, it can no longer be a problem.

The term "asbestos", which means "inextinguishable", is known to have been coined by the Greeks, who were apparently the first ones to use this substance. Asbestos is a mineral fiber that is extensively used for not only industrial purposes, but also a number of domestic reasons as well.

Asbestos was first discovered about two centuries ago, and ever since then, new ways to use this naturally occurring substance are being developed. One of developments that started showing its effect in many places was the discovery of benefits of using asbestos as in roofing materials, flooring materials, etc. Asbestos particularly became popular for these purposes, owing to its properties like fire resistance, etc.

However, with the development in medical science, the hazardous nature of asbestos soon became much more evitable than ever. Now it is a well known fact that asbestos can be extremely harmful if inhaled. It is known to cause various types of lung diseases, owing to its poisonous nature, which includes diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer, and many more life threatening diseases.

The diseases related to asbestos are often referred to as "occupation related" since, in most cases, people who develop these disease are those who have been on jobs where they had to constantly work with asbestos. In fact with these diseases it can be said that the more a person inhales asbestos the more chance he has of developing these diseases.

It is for this reason that is always suggested that asbestos should be dealt with extreme care. Though asbestos is harmless as long as it remains undisturbed, it surely starts causing major problems once a person inhales asbestos particles from the air. Therefore, in order to avoid letting off of asbestos particles in the air, any kind of job related with asbestos should be carried out with extreme care. In most cases it is suggested that help from authorized authorities be taken in such cases, unless of course the job is a very small scale one, and is sure not to be capable enough of affecting anyone.

However, regardless of who deals with asbestos related job, it is of utmost importance to make sure of the fact that all necessary precautions are taken. Not only should the person make sure that the surrounding environment does not get contaminated, one should also make sure to wear protective garments and as well as use the necessary equipments for personal safety. These days a number of techniques and tests are being popularized so as to enable people working with asbestos to be able to deal with it properly.

Precautions while dealing with asbestos need to be maintained at every stage, starting from its manufacture to its ultimate disposal. These days, many states have also framed laws so as to protect the environment from asbestos contamination, and to protect the interests of those who have been victims to asbestos poisoning or those who may be at the risk of asbestos poising.

For a naturally occurring substance, Asbestos gained immense popularity for its roofing qualities. Unlike other roofing materials which were processed and coated, Asbestos was completely natural yet fire resistant and also had other durable qualities like longetivity of life. But the advancement of science and technology highlighted a previously unknown aspect of asbestos. Asbestos contains highly toxic chemicals which if inhaled can lead to various health hazards and even death in extreme cases. So, now you will find that the use of asbestos has decreased considerably in most homes. Even the homes that installed asbestos in the first place are now looking to have them removed. Do you have asbestos in your home? Are you looking to remove it as well?

The first thing that you need to understand is that unlike other roofing materials, asbestos is a health hazard that needs extreme care while handling. So, if you have plans to have the asbestos removed yourself, then please reconsider your decision. While this decision might be one based on monetary factors, there are a lot more things to think about while removing asbestos. Asbestos Removal needs the services of a professional. It is nothing lesser than a health hazard and needs proper tools and techniques which can only be rendered by a professional. Absolute safety should be ensured while proceeding with Asbestos Removal. The best part is that now that most people are looking to have the asbestos removed, there are lots and lots of professional contractors who offer asbestos removal services. But you need to select a service provider who has expertise and is certified. Enquiring with the local authority for certification norms is a good way to start.

Hire the services of an Asbestos Removal contractor who has all the professional credentials. Remember, these credentials are of utmost importance when it comes to having the asbestos removed from your premises. Another good way to find a reputed service provider is by relying on previous customers’ testimonials. There is nothing as reliable as word of mouth publicity. If a customer praises a particular service provider then it is only if he/she is genuinely satisfied with the services. You can also check online for licensed Asbestos Removal contractors. Most contractors now also offer these services through the internet and hence you can log on to their website and have a detailed review of their services.

Now that you know how to find the contractor, the next thing that you need to do is get multiple bids. For every service provider that offers you a good deal, there might be one around the corner with a better deal. So search around till you find one that suits your budget and specific requirements (if any). Pricing is a major factor that you need to consider. Getting multiple bids is also a good way to ensure that you are not overcharged. Finally, make sure that the company follows the rules set by the regulating authorities regarding removal and safe disposal of asbestos. Find the right company and you will have it removed with ease.

The asbestos removal is not an easy job so don't try to do it on your own. Because of health risk factors, removal is something that requires great care and planning. The effects of exposure to asbestos are so dangerous that it can even lead to death in some cases. Thus, it is really essential to remove the asbestos containing materials from your home or office.

The best way for asbestos removal while remodeling your home is to hire asbestos removal professionals. There are lots of asbestos removal contractors offering the services for the safe removal of the asbestos containing materials. However, several precautionary measures and tips should be taken to ensure absolute safety during the task of asbestos removal.

First of all, check for the certified licensed asbestos contractors with license issued by the local authority to provide services for asbestos removal. The contractors professional credentials are vital to safe removal of asbestos material from your premises.

Secondly, confirm the credentials of the contractors with the previous customers or clients. This will help you to get a clear picture as to whether the contractor is offering good and efficient services or not.

Recheck by visiting their website for reviews and testimonials of the contractor to ensure accountability and credibility. Apart from that, you can also obtain multiple bids to know the competition in the market. This way, you can help in getting the professional service at a nominal cost.

The best way to remove asbestos is by remodeling the home and then asks the contractor to remove the asbestos completely from the home.

Ensuring that the workers are doing the task of removing and disposing the asbestos materials is essential. Also they must work according to the set norms, rules and regulations of the local and federal authorities. Most people get these details written on paper to stay on the safer side of law.

The reputation and the prestige of the company offering the service is of utmost importance to the individuals who opt to remove asbestos while remodeling the home. An experienced and qualified professional who is well equipped with the protective accessories like the respirators and protective glasses should be employed.

It is advisable to every individual not to make a payment in advance for the entire project.

With these tips, begin your search for a good team of asbestos removal professionals.

Have you ever seen the effects of asbestosis, mesothelioma, or any of the various asbestos-related cancers that have killed or destroyed the livelihood of a close fried or relative? Believe me, some very powerful and influential figures have succumbed to these illnesses, so it is not just confined to manual workers working in factories or building sites where asbestos was involved.

As early as 1898 the then Chief inspector of Factories in The United Kingdom in his report to Parliament submitted in his report regarding the ‘evil effects of asbestos dust.’ He described it even all those years ago as having a sharp, glass like nature, very susceptible to disintegrating into minute particles, which then very easily permeated every nook and cranny in a building, or even a district where such a product was in use.

Litigation due to industrial exposure to asbestos remains the longest, most expensive joint claim in the world, with over 6,000 defendants, and at the latest count well over 600,000 claimants. With the current rate of detection of asbestos related diseases set to rise over the next decade, estimates of the litigation costs on the US alone is expected to rise to well over $250 BILLION. You would have thought that with such amounts at stake, anybody still manufacturing products based on asbestos or any asbestos-related products would be taking an enormous financial risk.

In early times items made of asbestos were held in great esteem, especially by Kings and Emperors, and of equal value to gold. Many in fact were cremated in an asbestos shroud, to keep their ashes separate from any other combustible materials. How rash was that! In fact, talking of rashes, although asbestos fibres when coming into contact with the skin causes rashes, there are stories from ancient times that asbestos was actually prescribed for ailments of the skin – especially the itch.

Although there are many forms of asbestos, they all have the same characteristic to a greater or lesser degree, that eventually however they may be packaged up within another material, they will all form asbestos dust particles at some point in their life.

Due to asbestos’s fire-retarding properties, until the late 1980’s there were many applications within public and private buildings where asbestos in one form or another was used. Acoustic ceilings, putty, vinyl floor coverings, fire-retardant fillings, adhesives and ceiling tiles, acoustic curtains in theatres, and in brake disk pads in cars, busses and trains, clutch plates, gaskets, fire blankets – the list is endless, as is the lurking danger.

In fact, many a worker in the American shipyards during the Second Word War were heavily exposed to this asbestos danger, and even some top people were affected and struck down with asbestosis, mesothelioma, or asbestos-induced cancers of some sort.

Now, with many asbestos based products no longer allowed in new construction, there must be thousands upon thousands of sites where asbestos is still lurking, and even demolition and or removal creates its own hazard conditions.

Interestingly, in the interest of ‘profit’ there are still a number of applications where asbestos is still in use, and can even be found in some consumer products, such as talcum powder.

In all, the list of asbestos based products is still scarily quite long.

Asbestos-cement corrugated and flat sheets; asbestos clothing for heat resistant applications, pipe line wraps, roofing felt, and many applications in the auto industry, including automatic transmission system components, clutch plates, friction pads such as disk brake pads and so forth are still being manufactured.

How many of us have smelt the acrid fumes when a train applies it’s brakes in your local station?

Because of all this historical use of asbestos, we are all constantly exposed to certain levels of asbestos dust. These are usually quite low levels (between 0.00001 to 0.0001 fibres per millilitre of air we breathe) with the higher levels predominately in towns and cities. Some drinking water can also contain asbestos fibres from natural sources, but this is usually very closely monitored.

Where asbestos removal takes place, whole buildings have to be hermetically sealed to try and trap the bulk of the dust.

If you have been unfortunate enough to breathe large quantities of asbestos dust, either in a short burst, or over a period of years the effects are usually very much the same.

1. This dust, on the lungs and the membranes inside us, will eventually cause scar like tissues in the lungs, and in the pleural membrane (lining) surrounding the lungs. This ‘asbestosis’ as it is known will usually cause coughing, difficulty in breathing, and sometimes, enlargement of the heart. Asbestosis is very serious, and often results in death. However, it is usually confined to those who worked in the asbestos industry.

2. Lower levels of intake of this deadly dust may cause changes called plaques in the pleural membranes. Effects here are not as serious as with asbestosis, but restricted breathing may still take place.

3. Any irritation of the lungs, or any other membrane in the body will have a marked increase in the formation of cancers, and lung cancer and mesothelioma, which is a cancer of the thin lining (pleural membrane) surrounding the lungs is a well-know side effect of breathing asbestos dust.

4. Children are particularly at risk, as how many of them may play around old buildings, and take great pleasure in smashing up old sheets of asbestos, not realising that they are really playing with something more deadly than an unexploded time-bomb.

As a successful property renovator, and provider of buildings for my property club members, asbestos is of a very serious concern to me.

In all, asbestos, although having served mankind “Faithfully?’ down throughout the ages, has now been identified as the spectre of danger that it presents, but unfortunately we have been mining the stuff for centuries, so it will not go away quietly, and without a fight.

Hence the massive levels of lawsuits piling up surrounding all forms of asbestos.

Copyright 2006 Geoff Morris

Asbestos is mined as a dense rock, which easily separates into fine fibers. Asbestos fibers are especially favored as building blocks for various materials because of its strength, temperature resistance and chemical inertness.

Undoubtedly, asbestos has provided mankind with so many uses. However, asbestos comes with accompanying health hazards. Studies show that about 1.3 million people are exposed to asbestos at the workplace. These include people who are working in the construction industry and those in the manufacture of products made of asbestos. Workers in the construction industry are especially exposed to the hazards of asbestos during building demolition and or renovation wherein asbestos products are removed from the site.

Although most of us may have been exposed to asbestos one time or another, illness caused by asbestos exposure is only evident to those people who are regularly exposed to this mineral. Since asbestos fibers are extremely fine, they are easily suspended in the air. Since experts discovered the hazardous effects of asbestos exposure, its use has been regulated from that time on. The use of asbestos in products like imitation logs for gas-burning fireplaces and spackling compound has long been banned in the United States. Asbestos regulation is aimed towards the reduction of asbestos fiber inhalation by workers and other people.

Prolonged exposure to the fine asbestos fibers suspended in the air may result into a form of pneumoconiosis known as asbestosis. Stiff lungs with an excess of scar or fibrous tissue are often the characteristic sign of asbestosis. A person suffering from this disease may find it difficult to breath because of the stiffness in the lungs. Much effort is needed in order to expand the lungs during breathing. Abnormal sounds in the chest may be heard. In some cases, the membrane surrounding the lungs called the pleura may develop calcified plaques. Asbestosis patients will experience shortness in breathing accompanied with dry cough. They may also develop clubbed fingertips with bluish hands and feet due to a deficient supply of oxygen in the blood.

It will take at least 10 years of exposure to asbestos before asbestosis appears. Asbestosis however may worsen once present in the body even when there is no more exposure to the offending substance. It has been observed that construction workers, pipe fitters, shipbuilders and those working in brake lining factories have higher risk of developing asbestosis. Cancer of the lungs is also a possible consequence of a long-term asbestos inhalation. Additionally, cigarette-smoking asbestos workers are four times at greater risk of developing lung cancer than people who are not exposed to asbestos. A rare type of cancer called pleural mesothelioma is also linked to asbestos inhalation. Studies show that about 70% of pleural mesothelioma victims has a history of asbestos exposure.

No treatment has been found to be effective against asbestosis. In lung cancer associated with asbestosis, surgery can be the form of treatment although the general outcome is often poor.

Therefore, in order to prevent any asbestos related diseases, it is important to provide proper dust control in workplaces where asbestos is processed. Studies show that the incidence of lung cancer and other asbestos related illnesses can be significantly reduced through proper dust control and management.

The dangers of asbestos have been known for a very long time and even the companies that made billions off of asbestos products have long since given up defending the virtues of asbestos. Unfortunately, there were way too many years between identifying the dangers of asbestos and getting asbestos pulled off the market but finally new asbestos products have been almost universally banned.

The biggest problem with asbestos today is dealing with the past. People still suffer from mesothelioma and other respiratory problems caused by asbestos. Perhaps an even bigger problem is how to deal with the asbestos that is still out there in older buildings, concrete and insulation. For more than half of the 20th century asbestos was used just about anywhere that required insulation. It was just about everywhere out there - and still is.

Of course the public outcry against asbestos called for the immediate removal of all asbestos anywhere people were exposed to the hazard. However, this is often easier said than done. In all too many cases the biggest expense involved in renovating an older building is dealing with asbestos. Often the expense of totally removing asbestos has prevented renovation of older buildings. Demolishing or renovating old buildings used to be easy but not anymore.

For many years asbestos removal was at a stand still. Those companies that could afford to remove asbestos insulation in their buildings had already done so; often at great expense. Those companies with smaller financial resources usually just left their old buildings alone and delayed dealing with the asbestos. Finally in the 1990s governments started to approve alternate ways of dealing with asbestos in buildings.

Currently there are 3 approved ways of dealing with asbestos in older buildings. Removal is still the preferred way, but is very expensive and not entirely without dangers. Simply getting the asbestos out exposes it to people. The trick and expense in asbestos removal is keeping it out of the air and away from people. An additional problem with asbestos removal is you have to install new insulation and fireproofing, usually fiberglass, to replace the asbestos you are removing.

A second way of dealing with asbestos is called encapsulation. This involves actually building a structure around the asbestos so that it is totally contained. In some cases this is a viable option but usually it is almost as expensive as removal. Many buildings cannot handle the extra weight of the encapsulation structure.

The third way of dealing with asbestos is called encasement. With this procedure a special 2-part coating is sprayed over the asbestos totally preventing exposure to the fibers. The first coat is a primer that binds with the asbestos fibers, holds them in place and also prepares the surface for the second coat. The second coat is the sealer that does just that, totally sealing off the asbestos.

Independent testing of encasement has shown that the final surface is completely safe. There are no airborne fibers or other volatile substances coming off the surface. It is totally harmless. In the field, encasement has proven to be more than 50 percent less expensive compared to removal and can be done in half the time and with much less labor expense. The big drawback with encasement is the asbestos is still there but as long as the building isn't changed or demolished the encasement coating renders the asbestos totally harmless.

Asbestos is a substance which was extensively used in the 1990's for construction and decoration. This is because asbestos was found to have a high tensile strength and was known very well for its flame and heat resistance. However, people who worked in factories and who were commonly exposed to this substance were not really warned about asbestos lung cancer risks. What sort of risks are there?

Well, so far, there are two main asbestos lung cancer risks you should be worried about:

Mesothelioma - This is cancer that does not occur in the lungs but in the tissue covering the lungs. Mesothelioma is a disease wherein a person develops tumors on the tissue covering the vital organs. Although there are certain cases wherein the tumors are benign, the majority of those which develop are very much malignant. Because of this, common use of the term no longer makes decisions between benign and malignant mesothelioma. Almost all of the cases of mesothelioma being reported today have a history of asbestos exposure. This just goes to show you how large the asbestos lung cancer risks are.

Actual lung cancer - Mesothelioma differs from lung cancer in the sense that while mesothelioma affects the tissue covering the vital organs, lung cancer hits the vital organs-the lungs themselves. This is not a pretty sight which is why you should be thankful that lungs are inside your body.

These are the two types of asbestos lung cancer risks that some people face everyday. Now comes the question of how those risks can be lowered.

The first thing that you can do to lower the asbestos lung cancer risk on yourself is to work someplace other than a factory or establishment which makes use of asbestos as a raw material. Most people who have developed asbestos lung cancer have been exposed to the substance in a work environment. This is because during the early 90's when people used asbestos extensively in construction and decoration, employers frequently forgot to mention to their employees that asbestos was a very dangerous substance when inhaled. People were not equipped with the right accessories to help them prevent the asbestos fibers from getting into their lungs. Although these people did not feel any sort of symptom while they were working, 20-50 years later, they finally realize how big an impact that job actually made on them.

The next thing you can do to lower the risk of asbestos lung cancer is to try and get rid of any asbestos products at home. In cases like this, you have to remember that there are certain regulations that need to be followed in the disposal of asbestos. You should also try to get an inspector to look around your house and see which asbestos products need to be removed or which products need to be left alone for the general safety of people.

This is because although there are some products which do give off dangerous asbestos fibers, there are those products which are better left alone in order not to render contained asbestos fibers airborne. Hiring an expert will be able to help you make sure that everything is taken care of. After all, no matter how good you may be, you won't be able to spot asbestos products immediately without the help of an expert, right? By doing this, you can be sure that each asbestos product is disposed of properly and that you don't place yourself in unnecessary danger.

Another thing you can do to lower the risk of asbestos lung cancer is to check out your workplace or school. Some offices are located in old buildings wherein the ceiling can be a bit damaged. As you may well know, old ceilings do have asbestos in them. This is mainly because people thought that adding asbestos to ceiling tiles can help fireproof a building. If you notice some cracked ceiling tiles, you might want to talk about it to someone who can get it fixed. Old ceiling tiles which are quite crumbly give off a huge amount of asbestos fibers so removing them can help you reduce the risk of asbestos lung cancer. These few tips are quite simple but they may save your life.