Purchased A Fixer-Upper Home? Make Sure You Check For Asbestos
If you purchased a home that you plan to fix up on your own, you need to ensure the home does not have asbestos. This is especially true if the home is older. Asbestos has no smell, so you will not know if it is in your home. The only way to know for sure is to hire a company to check for it. However, there are symptoms you will have if exposed to asbestos, which is one way to tell that you do have it in your home. Below are some of the symptoms as well as some tips on getting the asbestos out of your home.
Symptoms of Being Exposed to Asbestos
The first symptoms that you have been exposed to asbestos are generally related to your lungs. For example, you will have shortness of breath. This can start out very slowly. You may also notice that you are coughing and do not have a cold. Once your lungs are affected for a long period, you may hear a crackling or wheezing sound when you breathe and feel chest tightness and chest pain. You may start getting respiratory infections that will send you to the doctor.
There are also signs in other parts of your body. For example, you may notice that your abdomen is swelling, or you may have abdominal pain. You may also lose weight for no apparent reason, as this can cause you to have a loss of appetite. You also may notice that you find it difficult to swallow at times.
Hire an Asbestos Inspection Company
If you even think that you have asbestos in your home, hire an asbestos inspection company. They will find out where the asbestos may be. For example, if the home is very old, there may be asbestos lurking under wallpaper.
The asbestos inspection company will also check the attic, as old insulation may have asbestos. There may be asbestos in the drywall. If the home has a popcorn ceiling, asbestos could be there also, or the asbestos could be under floor tiles.
If your asbestos inspection company can also remove the asbestos, the employees will wear respirators and special clothing that covers them from head to toe. They will start out by removing all items that may contain asbestos. This can result in a lot of damage to your home as the company may have to remove flooring, drywall, insulation, and more. The company will package these items carefully and then dispose of them at a special facility. The company will also clean up and use a HEPA vacuum. Once they are finished, the company will test your home for asbestos to make sure it is removed.
The asbestos handling company can give you much more information as to how they test your home and remove the asbestos.