What Could Be Hidden Behind the Walls of Your Renovation Project?
If you've just bought a Victorian-era home that is something of a "fixer-upper," then you will be getting ready to renovate and bring the property up to modern standards. You will certainly want to retain a lot of that period charm, but this particular building has fallen into a state of disrepair, and you have got a lot of work ahead. Before you do any work at all, however, you will need to conduct an investigation or, to be precise, bring somebody else in to do this for you. What do you need to be worried about, and why do you need to call in some experts?
What You Don't Know
While you may never have owned a property like this before, you must have heard of the risks associated with asbestos. You may not think that these risks apply to you, but the reality is that asbestos was in widespread use in days gone by and will likely have found its way into your acquisition. In fact, asbestos may be hidden within floors, walls and ceilings, and could even be found within certain fixtures and fittings dotted throughout the property.
Hidden Dangers
The danger lies in what you cannot see, as asbestos fibres are microscopic and can be released into the room as soon as they are disturbed. When this happens, they can easily get into the lungs and can cause a variety of different issues, which, over time, can often be fatal.
Expert Review and Removal
This is why it's so important to bring in asbestos removal experts before you start any work at all. They will have a great deal of experience and will know where to look so that they can identify any location where asbestos may be present. Once they do this, they will make arrangements to remove it very carefully, and with safety very much in mind. At the same time, this area will also be off-limits to everyone apart from these experienced contractors, who will wear the appropriate safety gear, so that they are not at risk.
Next Step
As a homeowner, it is your duty of responsibility to ensure that everyone is protected, including yourselves, any visitors or indeed, anybody else in the vicinity. Don't take any risks and bring in an asbestos consultant first to help you understand the potential scale of your problem. Once they have identified, isolated and removed the asbestos, you can work to your heart's content and create the home of your dreams.
To learn more, contact your local asbestos removal company.