For close to 100 years, asbestos played a major role in all forms of construction in Australia and other countries, and was used mainly for its resistance to fire, yet we did not realise just how harmful this naturally occurring substance was, not until the early 1970s. Then it became apparent that asbestos causes asbestosis, lung cancer and other respiratory diseases, and even though the substance is banned, there are still many thousands of buildings in Australia that contain asbestos.

Asbestos Removal Specialists

Due to the harmful nature of asbestos, there are specialist firms, such as A to Z Demolitions in Sydney, who are approved to remove asbestos from buildings. When asbestos sits undisturbed, it presents no danger, yet once it is disturbed, as with a home or office renovation, minute slivers of the material become airborne and if inhaled, this can cause serious problems in the future. If you are planning a renovation project and are uncertain whether asbestos is present in your property, rather than taking any chances, you are advised to call in an asbestos removal specialist, who can carry out tests to determine whether or not asbestos is present. If it is not, you have nothing to worry about, but should the tests reveal its presence, it needs to be carefully removed by experts who are trained in the safe removal of asbestos.

Undetected Exposure to Asbestos

If you were in the process of carrying out home renovations and came across a material that contained asbestos, there would be no external signs of any danger, indeed, you could complete the project without a hitch, yet of you, or anyone else, have inhaled slivers of asbestos fibre, they can remain dormant in the lungs for years before the person shows any symptoms of respiratory disease. For this reason, you simply cannot afford to take any chances when disturbing building materials in your home or place of work, and with an expert asbestos detection and removal service available, you can rest assured that neither you, nor any member of your family will be exposed to asbestos.

Older Properties

There is more of a chance that asbestos is present in buildings that were constructed prior to 1970, but that doesn’t mean a structure built later than that is free from this harmful material. A small builder may well have carried our renovations and installed asbestos sheeting, and without testing, this would never become apparent. Fireplaces are often lined with asbestos and it might have been used to create room partitions, and once it has been plastered over or painted, you would never know it was present.

Fatal Lung Diseases

In many ways, asbestos is a silent killer, as once it is inhaled, you would not be aware of anything out of the ordinary, and it could be ten years before you show any symptoms of a respiratory related illness, and by that time, the damage has already been done

Don’t take any chances when carrying out minor renovations at home, rather contact an approved asbestos detection and removal firm who will test for the presence of this very dangerous substance.