The cost of hiring professional asbestos removal firms may make some homeowners consider DIY asbestos removal. Ask yourself the following questions before you decide to remove the asbestos in your home on your own.
Can You Identify All the Places With Asbestos?
It is important to identify all the places or materials where asbestos is present before you undertake any asbestos removal activities. This is because you risk making asbestos fibres become airborne in case you damage an unidentified asbestos containing material, such as the lining in a furnace, as you remove the asbestos that you have identified, such as the popcorn (acoustic) ceiling in your house. Avoid DIY asbestos removal in case you lack the experience to identify all the asbestos that may be present in your home. You should also remember that only a lab test would be reliable in confirming the materials that contain asbestos.
Can You Choose the Best Alternative to Deal With Any Discovered Asbestos?
It may not be necessary for you to remove all the asbestos that may be in your home. This is because asbestos can only pose a health risk if the material containing it is damaged and asbestos fibres are released into the air.
Your options may include repairing the damaged material containing asbestos. You could also leave the asbestos containing material undisturbed. The last option is to conduct asbestos abatement.
Do you have the technical competence to select the most appropriate option for each of the asbestos containing materials that are in your house?
Are You Protecting Yourself Against Future Liability Suits?
Different jurisdictions have laws or regulations governing how asbestos should be disposed of. There may be laws restricting who can do the job or where asbestos may be disposed of. You need to be sure that you can meet all the requirements of asbestos removal before you embark on that DIY asbestos abatement project.
Furthermore, you also need to make sure that you can dispose of all the asbestos in your home so that those who occupy that home after you sell it are not exposed to any residual asbestos that may become friable later on. You may be sued in case it is discovered later that you botched up an asbestos removal project.
Only undertake DIY asbestos removal from your home if your answers to the questions above show that you will do a good job. However, you should be mindful about the local laws in your area because some jurisdictions do not permit laypeople to undertake asbestos removal on their own. For more information, contact local professionals in asbestos removal.
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