From Amusing to Advanced: New Ideas for Cleaning

If you're renovating your home or doing any types of repairs and have found asbestos in the attic or elsewhere, you may not like the idea of keeping it there and just containing it. However, you might also not like the idea of paying a professional company to dispose of it for you. No matter the cost, you want to ensure that you have only a licensed professional handle the removal and disposal. Note why this is and why it can be downright dangerous to try to handle asbestos disposal on your own.

1. Overlooking asbestos

If asbestos was used in your attic as an insulating material, you might assume that you've removed all of it when you pull out building materials and drywall yourself. However, who's to say that it wasn't also used as an insulating material behind walls or around plumbing pipes? If you've found asbestos because of remodeling or repairs, you don't want to assume that it's all contained in that one spot. A professional will know all the areas of the home which might contain asbestos and will be able to do a thorough inspection and a thorough removal.

2. Moving fibers around

Asbestos is dangerous when the fibers become airborne and you breathe them in. You may think that you can easily dispose of the fibers and keep them contained if you use a commercial vacuum or if there isn't much asbestos to begin with. This can be very shortsighted, as those fibers can cling to your clothes, and you might then track them through the house without realizing it. There also might be asbestos that you're overlooking, as mentioned above, and these fibers become airborne when you use the vacuum or begin tearing out the building materials where the asbestos is located. To ensure that you don't inadvertently cause any fibers to become airborne during your work, it's best to call a professional.

3. Proper disposal

You always want to ensure that you have asbestos disposed of properly rather than assuming you can bag it up and put it on the curb. You also don't want to bury it or toss it in a dumpster; not only might you face hefty fines, but this can mean allowing the asbestos to become airborne and a danger to others. No matter the expense, it's good to work with a company that employs proper asbestos disposal procedures so you know it will be taken care of safely.