In this piece, we’re going to detail what could happen if you push with that DIY renovation of yours and remove the asbestos in your house yourself.
But before that, here are a few things you need to know first.
What is asbestos?
Asbestos is an insulating and fireproofing material that was predominantly used in the construction industry in the 40s up to the early 2000s.
It’s relatively cheap and effective in insulating and fireproofing houses. It’s no wonder why it was widely used during that time to keep furniture and other stuff safe.
Most residential properties and commercial buildings that were built during that time probably have asbestos in them, particularly in the steel beams, columns, roofs, and other areas that normally need to be protected from fire.
You can also find this hazardous material in some of the most commonly used construction products such as:
- floor tiles
- wallboard
- concrete
- pipes
- joint compounds
- adhesives
- asphalt
- vinyl materials in roof shingles
- and more
What’s so bad about asbestos?
In its heyday, asbestos is what they call the “miracle material”. However, it was later found out that constant exposure to asbestos has its own risks and hazards.
Anyone who worked in the construction industry and was exposed to asbestos almost every day developed certain complications and diseases later in life. That’s why by the end of 2003, asbestos was completely banned here in Australia.
Despite that, anyone can still be at risk of asbestos exposure since most of the houses and buildings that were built with asbestos are still standing to this day.
When kept intact, asbestos won’t do any harm to you. It only becomes a health hazard when the asbestos is disturbed, causing it to release asbestos dust into the air and potentially harming anyone who inhales the dust.
Asbestos is often disturbed during fires or earthquakes. Also, when someone tries to renovate a house without knowing that his or her house is filled with asbestos.
If any of these things happen, anything can go south. That’s why as much as possible, we recommend that you don’t renovate your house by yourself, especially if your house was built from the 1940s up to the early 2000s.
If you suspect that your house or dorm room has asbestos in it, the best thing to do is to have it inspected by professionals and plan from there. Companies that offer home inspections check for asbestos and confirm whether you have something to worry about or not.
Why DIY removal of asbestos is a big no-no
If you’re thinking of simply removing the asbestos products in your house yourself, don’t.
There are just too many health risks involved in removing asbestos yourself. Below are only some of the diseases that you may develop later in your life.
Below are only some of those diseases.
Asbestosis
This disease is characterized by the scarring of the lungs. And that scarring, as the name suggests, is mainly caused by asbestos. Specifically, asbestos dust.
So what happens is that when someone inhales a significant amount of asbestos dust, these fibres latch onto your lungs until they cause scarring on them.
If you accidentally inhale a significant amount of asbestos dust due to the nature of our work, there’s a great chance that you’ll develop this disease.
Asbestosis can restrict your breathing and cause frequent shortness of breath. Worse, it can lead to fatal complications like cardiac failure.
Lung Cancer
You’re probably one of many people that believe that lung cancer can only be caused by smoking tobacco. Well, not anymore.
It was discovered that significant exposure to asbestos can also cause this form of cancer.
When inhaled, asbestos dust can also stick to your lung tissues and turn healthy cells into cancerous cells. Then it can only go south from there if not detected and cured as soon as possible.
Mesothelioma
This is a very rare type of cancer that occurs not in the lungs, but on the protective linings of the lungs and other organs like the heart, chest, and abdomen.
If you develop this form of cancer, you will experience shortness of breath and chest pains. The worst part, however, is that they’re the least of your worries.
If you have mesothelioma, not only does it occur later in life, but also it can only be detected once the cancerous cells have already wreaked havoc in your body.
Unfortunately, most people who are diagnosed with this disease are given only a life expectancy of around 1 year. That’s how serious this disease is.
So, if you’re still thinking of removing the asbestos in your house by yourself, think again.
If we were you, we’d hire the right and certified men for the job and let them do the work for you, so that no one ever gets exposed to asbestos during the process.
