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The aim of this paper is to respond to some frequently asked questions about asbestos and to provide information to help people make informed decisions about its care and maintenance. Asbestos is the name for a group of naturally occurring minerals that separate into strong, very fine fibers. The fibers are heat-resistant and extremely durable, and, because of these qualities, asbestos has become very useful in construction and industry. In the home it may or may not pose a health hazard to the occupants, depending on its condition. When it can be crushed by hand pressure or the surface is not sealed, to prevent small pieces from escaping, the material is considered FRIABLE. In this condition fibers can be released and pose a health risk.
However, as long as the surface is stable and well-sealed against the release of its fibers and not damaged, the material is considered safe until damaged in some way. Asbestos tends to break down into a dust of microscopic size fibers. Because of their size and shape, these tiny fibers remain suspended in the air for long periods of time and can easily penetrate body tissues after being inhaled or ingested. Because of their durability, these fibers can remain in the body for many years and thereby become the cause of asbestos related diseases. Symptoms of these diseases generally do not appear for 10 to 30 years after the exposure. Therefore, long before its effects are detectable, asbestos related injury to the body may have already occurred.
There is no safe level of exposure known, therefore exposure to friable asbestos should be avoided. Descriptions given in this booklet may help in identifying asbestos-containing materials. People who frequently work with this material, such as plumbers, contractors, and heating specialists, can often correctly guess whether a material contains asbestos. However, the only way to be sure is to have a sample of the suspect material analyzed by a laboratory.
Do not rely on visual determinations. It is prudent to treat material which could contain asbestos as if it does, until and unless reliable analysis proves otherwise. Laboratories that do this work are usually listed in the telephone yellow pages as "LABORATORIES-ANALYTICAL." Remember, the asbestos fibers that would cause health problems are much too small to be seen without a powerful microscope. In fact, an average human hair is approximately 1200 times thicker than an asbestos fiber. It is important that you not release asbestos fibers into the air or onto yourself when taking samples.
Only you should be in the room when sampling is accomplished. To take a sample of the friable material: A light wetting of the material using a fine water mist prior to taking the sample will reduce the release of asbestos fibers. Do not disturb the material any more than is required to take a small sample. Penetrate the depth of the dampened material with a clean sample container (35 mm film canister or small glass or plastic vial).
After the sample is in the container - tightly seal it. Use a damp paper towel to clean up any material on the outside of the container or spilled onto the floor. Label the container - the label should contain an identification number and clearly indicate when and where the sample was taken. Send the sample to a laboratory for analysis.
Laboratory analysis can be expensive, ranging from $ 20 to $ 40 per sample. A sample should be taken for each different appearing suspect material. For a ceiling surface in a large room, two samples may be required to give an accurate determination of asbestos content. IF YOU FIND ASBESTOS IN YOUR HOME, WHAT SHOULD YOU DO? As noted under the section headed "WHERE ASBESTOS MIGHT BE FOUND IN YOUR HOME" and subsequent pages of this booklet, asbestos may be present in many products and materials about the home.
This normally presents no problem as long as the asbestos is in good condition and is not disturbed or misused. When it becomes necessary to repair an item containing asbestos, when it is necessary to remove asbestos-containing material such as ceiling finish or pipe insulation, or when something has damaged asbestos-containing material such as pipe and boiler insulation, a professional in the asbestos field should be called. The professional should have special training, such as that required by many states for asbestos worker certification. He / she should have special equipment, such as vacuum machines with very fine filters. These filters are known as "HEPA" filters, which stands for HIGH EFFICIENCY PARTICULATE AIR and are designed to filter out the asbestos fibers. (Household and shop vacuum cleaners, for example, which are not specifically designed for asbestos will only scatter the fibers throughout the house, making the situation worse).
Such training and equipment are expensive and not usually practical for homeowners. In spite of the fact that it is unwise to do so, the homeowner in most localities is not prohibited by law from repairing or even removing the asbestos-containing material in his / her home. There are times when, due to accident, lack of information, or other reasons, a homeowner attempts to deal personally with an asbestos problem. Therefore, the next few pages of the booklet are dedicated to giving the homeowner as much information as possible to help him / her minimize the risk of asbestos exposure in the home. Pipe, furnace, and boiler insulation: when the insulation material will move at the touch of the hand or the cover no longer feels firm and tight, the insulation is probably too deteriorated for repair.
For material in this condition, call a professional. Repair by the homeowner should only be attempted, if at all, where the insulation is firm and the cover tight, and there should be a minimum of holes or tears in the insulation (for example, no more than a one inch diameter opening in four lineal feet of pipe covering). For minor damaged areas such as this, you can obtain commercial products designed to fill holes and seal damaged areas in asbestos pipe insulation. These products area available from safety stores Suppliers listed in the yellow pages of the telephone directory under the heading "Safety Equipment and Clothing" are referred to in this booklet as "safety stores. ", which specialize in asbestos repair materials and safety items. Sprayed-on asbestos-containing material on walls and ceilings should not be disturbed in any way by the homeowner.
If the material has never been painted, a coat of penetrating or bridging encapsulate Encapsulant's are materials normally applied in liquid form to provide a seal against the release of asbestos fibers. Bridging encapsulant's such as paint and similar materials form a "skin" on the surface to contain the fibers. Penetrating encapsulant's are thin liquids which soak in and set hard like a plastic, making a homogenous non-friable mass. can be sprayed on with an airless sprayer to seal the surface to ensure no fibers are released (don't use a brush or roller).
Penetrating encapsulant's soak into the material and firmly adhere it to the wall or ceiling. However, it makes any future removal more difficult. Bridging encapsulant's are applied like paint and the resultant skin seals the surface and does nothing to make the sprayed on asbestos adhere better to the wall or ceiling. A light coat of latex base paint may be used as a bridging encapsulate and may be used even if the material has previously had an encapsulate applied to it. Keep in mind that you should not build up such a thick coat that the added weight will increase the chance that the treated material may fall off the wall or ceiling. Removal should not be attempted by the homeowner, but left to professionals.
This action requires special equipment and detailed training which would generally be too expensive and time-consuming for a homeowner to acquire for a one-time job. Removal is also the last choice among alternatives because it poses the most risk of fiber release if not done properly. The professional asbestos contractor will normally use glove bags for pipe insulation removal unless a complete plastic sheeting enclosure is necessary for some reason. (For example, removal of a boiler jacket in the same room as the piping would require an enclosure in the room and glove bags would then be unnecessary. ) A glove bag is a heavy plastic bag measuring approximately four feet wide by five feet deep, with an open top and two plastic sleeves with gloves attached to one side. In use, the top is taped around the pipe and a HEPA vacuum used to assure asbestos fibers do not leak out. The worker inserts his / her arms into the sleeves and is thus able to make repairs to the insulation while that area of the pipe is completely sealed within the bag.
After repair is complete, (the air in the bag is exhausted with a HEPA vacuum as it is unsealed from the pipe) the bag is carefully sealed with tape as it is removed from the pipe. This prevents leakage of the air, which contains asbestos fibers, into the room. The professional asbestos contractor will build an enclosure of two layers of plastic on the floor and the walls and three leaf doors of 6 -mil plastic for access. Some negative pressure air machines will be used to control air flow and insure against fibers traveling throughout the home.
The professional asbestos contractor will have a HEPA vacuum, a negative pressure air machine, approved respirators, disposable clothing, and a supply of glove bags and miscellaneous tools for the asbestos removal and the cleaning of the room. Provision also will be made for taking air samples to insure that the area is clean after completion of the work. In choosing a professional to do work with asbestos, keep in mind that most home repair or remodeling contractors do not have certification or certified workers nor are they equipped to work with asbestos safely. If you hire someone who is not qualified, not only have you potentially subjected yourself and your family to serious health dangers, but also there can be legal problems because of local, state, or federal laws regarding environmental protection and workers' health. If the contractors do not have the right equipment and expertise and do the work improperly, they will spread asbestos fibers throughout your home and the neighborhood.
They may create an asbestos hazard where none existed or make an existing friable situation worse. You should require references from the contractor's former customers before you make an agreement for removal. In addition, find out from the Better Business Bureau or a local environmental or worker safety agency if they have received complaints about or found violations of regulations by the prospective firm. In some areas, an asbestos contractors' association provides a referral service, which may also be useful to you. Remember, as the owner of the property, you are responsible for the safe disposal at an approved landfill, even if you have hired someone to do the work for you. IF YOU THINK ASBESTOS HAS BEEN RELEASED IN YOUR HOME, WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
If the release appears significant (for example, 4 or 5 square feet of sprayed-on ceiling material or 1 to 2 feet of pipe insulation), close off the portion of the house, such as a bedroom or the basement, in which the problem has occurred, so that people will not be exposed. Close off air ducts and vents, shut windows, and tape bottoms of doors to prevent drafts. Contact someone who is trained in asbestos problems, such as a local health authority or a qualified contractor. You will probably want to have samples of dust or debris from floors, shelves, or window sills taken and analyzed by a laboratory. Air samples may also be needed to define the situation; if so, they must be taken and analyzed by a laboratory or a contractor who has the proper training and equipment, but the samples must be analyzed by a laboratory. Ask for prices for this work before selecting a laboratory to do it.
Analysis of material (bulk samples) and air samples will provide the information needed to decide what further measures may be required. WHEN YOU MAKE MAJOR CHANGES IN YOUR HOME Depending upon the amount of asbestos-containing material present, you may be required to notify authorities in your area before you remodel, dismantle, or demolish your home or part of it. They will want to know what work is intended and your proposed method of asbestos removal and disposal. The law also requires that "no visible emissions" of dust are allowed during removal, transportation, and disposal of asbestos-containing materials.
Further and more detailed information concerning this aspect of homeowner responsibility is available in the...
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