We have spoken a lot about how older males who have worked in industrial trades are most at risk for mesothelioma diagnoses, but there is a very present danger of asbestos exposure for new families moving into older homes, as well.
Before the early 1980’s, most residential houses in the United States were built with asbestos materials. Whether it was in roofing shingles, wall insulation, or elsewhere, asbestos was a common toxic substance to find within a home. Since so many houses in America were built before the EPA announced asbestos as a hazard to human health, homeowners risk coming into contact with the substance during a move-in or remodel.
Many new homeowners attempt to remove asbestos from newly-purchased older homes on their own, but hiring professionals is a sure way to keep you and your family safe from a disease like mesothelioma or lung cancer. For 26-year-old Sarah, her husband, Matt, and toddler, the decision was a tough one: “I wanted to do the remediation work myself and I read everything I could find about how to safely remove the asbestos, but that wasn’t enough to convince my husband to let me do the work.”
If sealed, the risk for asbestos-related disease is not something to be concerned about. Even so, outdated interior finishes are not always a first choice for modern home owners: “the previous owners had the ceilings painted to seal in the asbestos, but we didn’t find it aesthetically pleasing,” Sarah said.
Sarah and her family ended up calling a professional asbestos abatement team for their asbestos popcorn ceiling removal. After the job was done, air quality tests passed on the first try, guaranteeing a home safe from dangerous asbestos fibers. “We [had] only confirmed the presence of asbestos in the popcorn ceilings, though we know it can exist in other building materials too.” As more of her home renovation projects begin, we cross our fingers that Sarah does not run into any more asbestos!
Congratulations on your new home, Sarah!
