How to Avoid Asbestos During a Home Remodel

Remodeling your home can be an exciting project, but with older homes, there are hidden risks that require careful planning. One of the most serious hazards to remodeling an older home (pre-1980s) is the likely presence of asbestos.

Although building materials made with asbestos can be present in a home for decades without causing any problems, the act of tearing things apart will cause the asbestos fibers to become airborne, and breathing in those fibers can cause serious respiratory illness, like mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer that develops over the course of decades after asbestos exposure.

It’s crucial to understand where your home might have asbestos, and how to safely approach home renovations while protecting you and your family’s health. If you’re going to perform your own remodeling jobs, here are some tips to avoid asbestos exposure.

1. Know the likely locations of asbestos

Asbestos is more likely to be found in certain areas than others based on the materials. Do your research to know what these areas are. For example, asbestos is commonly found in insulation (walls, pipes, boilers), floor tiles, adhesives, textured ceilings (popcorn ceiling), roofing materials, siding, and joint compounds.

You should always be wearing proper protective gear, but it helps to know where asbestos is likely to be found so you’ll naturally take care when handling these materials.

2. Wear proper PPE

Regardless of whether or not you know your home contains asbestos in the area of your remodel, always wear personal protective equipment (PPE) while working or spending time in the area.

While it’s good to protect your physical body, you never want to go without a respirator. Since asbestos fibers get breathed in when they become airborne, a respirator will help protect your lungs. You’re more likely to get sick from breathing in asbestos than being exposed to it via your skin.

3. Have your family leave the house

If you’re performing a risky remodel that will kick up some dust around your family, find a way to get them out of the house while you finish the job. This may be inconvenient for some people, but do it if possible.

4. Get the job done quickly

The longer you spend tearing up your home, the longer asbestos will remain in the air continually. If you don’t know whether or not asbestos is actually present, that’s a good reason to wrap up your project as fast as possible. There’s no need to prolong potential exposure.

5. If you find asbestos, hire a pro

If you’re in the process of remodeling and you come across some asbestos, stop what you’re doing and hire a professional to get it removed. While it’s good practice to wear PPE and take precautions, that doesn’t mean you should actively remove known asbestos. You want to protect yourself in case you disturb asbestos, but you shouldn’t actively engage in its removal once you know for sure it’s present.

6. Don’t disturb suspicious materials

When you’re in the middle of a remodel and you come across material that looks like asbestos, leave it alone and call a pro to check it out. Don’t continue drilling, sanding, or scraping material that you think could be asbestos. If you have to handle the material, keep it damp to prevent fibers from contaminating the air. And never sweep or vacuum debris that potentially contains asbestos.

Anytime you come across materials that seem like they might be asbestos, that’s your cue to call in a pro to handle the cleanup job. They’ll make sure everything is removed completely and safely.

7. Hire a professional for your remodel

Your best option is to call a professional to do the job. Granted, this will cost more money and you probably wanted to do the job yourself to save some cash. That’s understandable. However, professional contractors know what precautions to take when tearing apart an older home, and they know how to spot asbestos. They can even spot older construction materials that are known to contain asbestos, just based on their professional experience alone.

Take asbestos safety seriously

While the presence of asbestos in your home can be a threat during the remodeling process, there are ways to handle it safely. Know what you’re willing to do, and protect yourself accordingly. Otherwise, hire a professional who has the experience required to get the job done while keeping everyone safe.