What You Need to Know When Hiring an Asbestos Inspection Company
By: John Garcia | Date Posted: November 30, 2021
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If your house was built in the 70s or 80s, thereâs a strong possibility that you may have asbestos hidden behind your walls, columns, and other parts of your home. Hiring an Asbestos Inspection Company is crucial in such cases. Asbestos is a hazardous material that was once very commonly used in the construction industry to strengthen cement and plastic for insulation and roofing. Why it was a popular building material before 1980? Since asbestos is highly resistant to both heat and corrosion, it was widely used during construction to attain the desired insulation and strengthening goals. However, after that, experts found a link between lung cancer and asbestos fibers that led to the discovery of health hazards related to this material. Once youâve inhaled even a minuscule amount of asbestos fiber, this could lead to serious lung diseases and other health issues.
Who Is At Greater Risk of Asbestos Toxicity?
Since asbestos is used for construction, workers within the vicinity of any construction site are at risk of exposure to asbestos in high amounts. The symptoms of asbestos toxicity do not appear rapidly and hence, it increases the chances of accidental exposure over a long time. Moreover, house inhabitants with asbestos used in its construction are also at higher risk of developing toxicity. The particles of asbestos fibers are quite small to be seen with the naked eye. That is why a person without or with little knowledge of construction is not able to investigate the presence of asbestos in his roofing or flooring.
However, in case, if you suspect that your house contains asbestos, the best course of action for you to take is to call in professional asbestos inspectors. These seasoned experts will inspect your house and determine which areas you must be cautious of.
Hiring an Asbestos Inspection Company
An asbestos inspection is an incredibly smart precaution to take, especially if you have plans to renovate your home in the future. If you start poking around your walls with nary an inkling of what youâre getting into contact with, the chances of accidentally inhaling asbestos dust greatly increase.
Because of the seriousness of the matter, it is immensely important to find the best possible asbestos inspection services. Youâll want a company that is thorough to a fault in their process, from practicing the proper safety procedures to providing the official asbestos register VIC homes entail.
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 Remember that asbestos inspection and removal are different
You may encounter a few companies that label themselves as asbestos inspection company, but in actuality, are removal companies. These are two completely separate things. Chances are, this The misleading company deceives for its own benefit, as once hired, it will write up its registers in favor of its removal services.
Be very careful when looking for the right company. Do enough research to gather all the accurate information that you need. Donât let yourself get swayed by mentions of discounts or special promotions. What matters is if they can perform the inspection services as necessary.
If you can, your best option is to check for a license. If their license indicates that their specialty is in removing asbestos and not inspecting for it, then take them off your list of prospects.
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Check for officially certified inspectors
Donât be afraid to ask to see the certification of the inspectors who will look at your house. After all, itâs your property and lives may be at risk here.
Some companies hire retired construction workers rather than trained inspectors to do the job. Although builders may have pertinent knowledge about the structure of a house, tools, and even asbestos as a material, itâs still a widely different practice from managing possible risk exposures to asbestos.
Unless theyâve undergone rigorous training to become a certified inspector of asbestos, itâs best to look for companies that employ legitimate experts in the field.
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Look for accreditations or awards
Companies nowadays almost always have websites or at least, social media pages. Because of this, everything that you need to know about an agency is right at your fingertips â that includes any awards that they may have received.
Before agreeing to anything, visit their website and look for any accreditations, as these will of course, only serve to prove the legitimacy of their business.
Keep in mind that youâre looking for an agency that focuses solely on asbestos inspection. This would mean that they primarily focus on inspecting, dedicating all of their time and resources to honing their services and improving their efforts. If they offer any other services such as pest extermination or plumbing, you may want to look elsewhere.
Asbestos risk management is such a delicate and crucial matter that youâre better off hiring a company that specializes in just that and not any other business ventures.
Why Should I Care About Asbestos?
Various reasons necessitate undergoing an inspection process at least once when buying or renting a new house. Itâs important to note that many parts of the world, including the US, still consider asbestos a safe material for use in construction. However, recognizing its negative impact on health, some builders are seeking effective alternatives that offer the same price and performance. Furthermore, asbestos fibers do not pose any harm unless something disturbs the material, causing the release of asbestos dust or fibers into the air.
Removing asbestos material for repairs, renovation, or demolition often causes this disturbance that results in asbestos release. Therefore, if you have any plans to go for any of these things, you must first consult with an asbestos inspection company or asbestos inspector. And for hiring a company with worthwhile experience in this niche you may follow the footsteps mentioned above.
One must look for the above-mentioned attributes while hiring an asbestos inspection company to ensure that they will not deceive or mislead you during the inspection.
Thank you for reading!