Mishandling asbestos at homes in Washington, D.C. may lead to exposure to asbestos; therefore, only an asbestos contractor should handle, remove, and dispose of any asbestos–related materials. An asbestos contractor can handle asbestos safely by following proper regulations. Individuals who are exposed to asbestos may develop mesothelioma and other asbestos–related diseases.
When asbestos is mishandled by Washington, D.C. family members at home, the fibers may become airborne, causing the individual to be exposed to asbestos. Asbestos fibers can be inhaled and become lodged in the linings of the lungs, abdomen, or heart causing diseases such as mesothelioma, asbestosis or lung cancer.
Homes in Washington, D.C. built prior to the 1980s could still contain asbestos–related materials. Because asbestos fibers are not visible to the human eye, it can be difficult to identify. Homeowners should treat any potential asbestos–containing materials as hazardous. Until an asbestos contractor can verify these materials, these areas of the home in Washington, D.C. should be avoided.
An asbestos contractor will perform a visual inspection and remove pieces of any questionable materials and send off to a lab for analyses. If the samples from your home in Washington, D.C. contain asbestos, then your asbestos contractor will recommend the removal or encapsulation of the asbestos materials.
The condition of the asbestos materials depends on whether it will be removed or encapsulated. During an encapsulation at your home in Washington, D.C., an asbestos contractor will coat the asbestos materials with a sealant which will prevent fibers from becoming airborne.
If the asbestos needs to be completely removed, your HVAC units and seal vents will be turned off to prevent asbestos fibers from circulating into the air, the work area will be sealed off with plastic sheeting, wet cleanup tools and HEPA filter vacuums will be used to clean up the workspace and materials will be removed from the home in Washington, D.C. in sealed containers clearly marked and discarded at proper landfill sites.
During the removal or encapsulation, the crew will wear protective clothing and respirators for their protection against any asbestos fibers that are released into the air.
If you have questions about materials in your home in Washington, D.C. which may contain asbestos, give the professionals at Envirotex a call and set up an appointment for them to come to your home and assess the situation.