While you may think that Asbestos is a man-made material, Asbestos is actually a group of 6 naturally occurring minerals. In fact, there is evidence of Asbestos use as far back as 4,500 years ago!

Asbestos deposits have been discovered all over the world, and from these deposits Asbestos was mined, processed, and ultimately used in various products from building materials to household goods.

Asbestos was used extensively in home construction from the 1930’s through the 1970’s, and may have been used during either the initial construction phase or during subsequent remodels.

To further complicate this question, homes built prior to this period may contain Asbestos building materials that were used during remodels, home renovations, or heating system upgrades.

In addition, while less common, Asbestos building materials remained available well into the 1980’s, and can still be found even today! So it’s still possible to find Asbestos containing materials in homes and commercial properties built or renovated after this period.

Whenever unsure about a building material, it’s always recommended to have it tested first before disturbing it.

While Asbestos was used in many, many, building materials, the most common that we see are floor tile and flooring material, pipe insulation, surfacing and joint compounds, popcorn ceiling texture, wallboard, Asbestos cement products, siding, and roofing materials such as tar papers and shingles.

However, this is far from an exhaustive list of the building materials that contained Asbestos, and as a result, testing is always recommended in cases where Asbestos may be a concern.

While vermiculite itself is not Asbestos, an estimated 80% of the world’s production of vermiculite came from a mine that had been contaminated with a naturally occurring vein of Asbestos. This means that, while the vermiculite itself is not Asbestos, there is a high potential that it could be contaminated with Asbestos.

For this reason, Vermiculite is generally treated as a potential Asbestos hazard and abated following Asbestos Abatement protocols.

Yes. Asbestos fibers can be inhaled or ingested, leading to serious diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma cancer.

These fibers are incredibly small, invisible to the naked eye, and can imbed themselves in internal membranes and organs (such as the lungs) resulting in the development of cancer. As a result of the serious health concerns related to Asbestos exposure, no level of exposure is considered to be safe. Asbestos Abatement by a properly licensed firm can remove this hazard from your home.

During an Asbestos Abatement project, a properly licensed abatement contractor will strictly follow a number of precautions to avoid cross contamination of previously unaffected areas. The entire work area will be properly contained and placed under negative air pressure, Asbestos containing materials will be kept wet throughout the process, and caution will be taken to avoid fibers releasing from the material during removal. Exposed surfaces as well as the air in the work area will be thoroughly cleaned to filter out and remove Asbestos fibers as well. At Disaster Blaster, our priority is always to ensure the safest indoor environment for our customers, and we are extremely thorough in reaching this goal.

“Asbestos Abatement” is the technical term for “Asbestos Removal” and includes the removal of the Asbestos containing materials following specialized processes to ensure that the work is completed properly and safely.

As part of any Asbestos Removal or Asbestos Abatement project, the work area is placed under negative air containment to prevent dangerous Asbestos fibers from leaving the work area.

During the Asbestos Removal itself, the Asbestos containing materials are kept wet throughout the process and carefully removed to prevent the release of Asbestos fibers. As Asbestos Removal includes much more than simply removing and disposing of the materials, the more appropriate “Asbestos Abatement” is used to define the work being performed.

Most states require contractors to be properly trained and licensed to perform Asbestos Abatement services. In states without formal licensing, additional requirements generally must be met in order to ensure that contractors performing this work are knowledgeable and can perform Asbestos Abatement services properly and safely.

Disaster Blaster offices providing Asbestos Abatement services are diligent in their efforts to address Asbestos issues in residential and commercial properties and have met all requirements to do so.