When you are in the middle of an exciting renovation project for your home, the last thing you want to blow your budget on is removing asbestos. We understand how tempting it would be to paint over and simply pretend it’s not there.
Here’s the most important renovation tip you’ll receive: don’t cover up asbestos.
Over 60% of DIYers report having been exposed to asbestos in renovation projects and self-containment.
In fact, DIY’ers exposing themselves to asbestos has become so common that it is considered the “third wave” of asbestos-related diseases. The first wave was miners and transport workers in the mid 1800s where production of asbestos was at its peak during the Industrial Revolution. The second wave was workers using asbestos products from the 1930s through the 1960s until the Clean Air Act passed in the 70s.
Covering up asbestos is a temporary fix and not a good one. Paint and sealants that can be purchased at hardware stores or online might delay the threat of asbestos, but it certainly does not remove it from your home. If at any point in the future you cut or drill the painted asbestos you will expose your entire home. There are no DIY containment measures once asbestos fibers are airborne, and the cost is significantly higher than if it was removed properly the first time.
THE ASBESTOS REMOVAL PROCESS
Safely removing asbestos is a complicated process. Watch this quick video to see everything that goes into it:
Even without intentional cutting or drilling, over time paint dries and cracks and this can cause the asbestos fibers underneath to become friable (to crumble and be reduced to powder), thus becoming airborne within your home.
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