Are You In Danger From Asbestos In Your Home?

By Complete Contents
In blog, Uncategorized

Good news! The answer is most likely not. Even if your house has asbestos in it, which pretty much all houses built before the ’70s do, the asbestos should not become a danger unless disturbed. From EPA‘s website directly:

“Asbestos-containing materials that aren’t damaged or disturbed are not likely to pose a health risk. Usually the best thing is to leave asbestos-containing material alone if it is in good condition.”

Generally, asbestos-containing material that is in good condition and will not be disturbed (by remodeling, for example) will not release asbestos fibers. Asbestos-containing materials may release fibers when they are disturbed, damaged, removed improperly, repaired, cut, torn, sanded, sawed, drilled or scraped. Keep an eye on asbestos-containing materials and visually check them over time for signs of wear or damage.”

So what do you do if you need to do renovations on your home or if you have damage occur (earthquake, water damage, fire, etc.) and you suspect asbestos?

The only thing to do is to call a professional. First call an asbestos testing company, who can test your home for asbestos and let you know if you are in danger from asbestos. Second, if asbestos are found that will be disturbed by a remodel or if asbestos have already been disturbed through a disaster or simply wear and tear over time, call a professional asbestos removal company.

To summarize: You don’t really need to worry about asbestos in your home. If you need to remodel, get it checked out. If you have a disaster or notice damaged material that make contain asbestos, get it checked out.

For more information, check out the EPA website and CPSC:

https://www.epa.gov/asbestos/protect-your-family

https://www.cpsc.gov/en/Safety-Education/Safety-Guides/Home/Asbestos-In-The-Home/

35 COMMENTS

Kenneth Gladman
December 30, 2016, 1:17 am REPLY

I didn’t realize that asbestos could only become dangerous if disturbed. I don’t think I would even want a risk of it being disturbed at all. I would feel more comfortable knowing a test was done and all risks were removed.
Zequek Estrada
June 19, 2017, 6:00 pm REPLY

I didn’t know that asbestos doesn’t release fibers until the material is disturbed. It makes more sense why there are places that have it but goes unnoticed for a while. My aunt would probably say that if you’re worried about it, then get testing done, especially if it’s an older home.
LNWeaver
June 28, 2017, 11:55 pm REPLY

That’s concerning that all homes before the ’70s have asbestos in them. It might be valuable to get your building inspecting for that then. I bought a little bit of an older because of its style, but I guess I’ll have to get it checked to be safe.
Ashley Maxwell
September 15, 2017, 2:07 am REPLY

Thanks for your comment about how asbestos can become dangerous if moved or touched in some way. I appreciate your tip to look at it to make sure that no damage has been made until a professional can get to it. My husband and I are considering asbestos removal services because we want to make sure that the asbestos in our attic is taken care of by an expert. We don’t want to make it worse.
Alexandria Martinez
September 19, 2017, 10:34 pm REPLY

As we were remodeling my mother’s home, we found a substantial amount of asbestos and we need to call an asbestos removal company. I like that you too agree that only a professional should handle this. They know how to be safe about the process.