Was your home built between 1940 and 1990? If so, it might surprise you to know that it likely contains asbestos. Residential and industrial development projects commonly used the natural mineral until the mid-1980s and 1990s, when countries began banning the use of asbestos fibres after realising its toxic and cancerous properties.
Bonded, undisturbed asbestos won’t create a health crisis for you or your loved ones. However, if you live in an older home or plan to buy one, asbestos testing can identify any potentially hazardous materials in your home and offer peace of mind.
Common building materials can contain asbestos fibres, especially if builders installed them before 1980. While asbestos testing can only confirm the presence of the mineral, Brisbane homeowners should err on the side of caution when disturbing or disrupting building materials such as:
- Cement
- Floor tiles
- Ceiling tiles
- Popcorn or textured ceilings and paint
- Insulation
- Roofing shingles
- Air ducts and linings
When you uncover asbestos scattered through a DIY wall removal or even while deep cleaning in your kitchen floors, you risk inhaling toxic asbestos dust.
Don’t panic, though. At Asbestos Watch Brisbane, our experienced asbestos inspectors and consultant team can test your home and analyse suspected materials on the spot.
Asbestos testing is a complex process. Our professional asbestos consultants will test the fibres on-site using our signature microPHAZIR AS analyser tool, which can detect the presence of asbestos in about 10 seconds.
Then, they will expose the fibres to different elements to determine the type of asbestos you may be harbouring.
Finally, they will check for damage to the materials. If the fibres display significant signs of disturbance, your consultant will offer asbestos testing for the air in your home.
Air testing will allow your consultant to determine if the number of inhalable fibres exceeds the Australian national exposure regulations.
From there, your professional asbestos consultant can provide you with a comprehensive management plan. If your family’s health and safety are at risk, your home may require total asbestos removal to ensure that you never have to worry about releasing fibres into the air.
On the other hand, you can collect and send a sample of suspected material to our laboratory through the post for same-day results. You may not suspect the presence of asbestos in your home, but if you plan to begin a home renovation project any time soon, we strongly suggest testing a small sample of your ceiling, insulation, or tile floors.
That said, collecting even a small asbestos sample can release dangerous particles into the air. To safely collect your sample, you will need:
- A spray bottle filled with water
- Pliers to collect the sample
- A bag and label for your material sample
- PVA glue to seal the open bag
- Disposable hazmat coveralls
- A Class P2 mask and respirator
Asbestos fibres can turn a happy home into a medical nightmare if you leave them undetected. At Asbestos Watch Brisbane, we’re proud to call ourselves the most trusted, highly rated asbestos testing and removal company in Brisbane.
We believe that you should breathe easily at home, which is why we’re committed to providing homeowners and buyers with the peace of mind they need – guaranteed.
If you suspect that your home contains asbestos or if you’re ready to buy a home in Brisbane but haven’t had an asbestos survey conducted yet, please give our team at Asbestos Watch Brisbane a call today 07 3180 1405.