Home renovators do you know if your home contains hazardous materials?

Renovating homes containing hazardous materials could be deadly

Image courtesy of Michelle Meiklejohn at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

There’re a number of hazardous materials that can be encountered when renovating an old house. The most common of these is asbestos. Asbestos material should be handled and disposed of by a specialist. Not only can it be hazardous to people in the area, but most countries have strict legislation governing the handling and disposal of asbestos. Failure to adhere to the rules could result in fines, as well as the costs of remedial work to correctly dispose of contaminated materials. Read More

Asbestos could be encountered in roofs, ceilings, walls, insulation, electrical equipment, water pipes and floor covering materials. If there’s any concerns about asbestos it’s recommended that experts are called in to test suspect materials. An expert from your area will be familiar with the type of materials used in buildings of the same age and can usually quickly test suspect materials and prepare a report.

Additional hazards to consider when doing renovation work include:

• Mould, which often forms in damp and enclosed conditions and can form in walls and under floorboards. Breathing in mould spores can be hazardous. When removing areas infected with mould always wear suitable breathing masks and dispose of the contaminated materials where it won’t contaminate new building materials. Call in experts to ensure that areas of mould are removed or treated. Existing mould will easily spread. Living in a house with mould is dangerous to your health and the mould can destroy furniture and clothing. Read More.
• Dry rot is a mould that rots timber. It spreads if left untreated and it weakens timber until it becomes weak and collapses. Replace all areas that have dry rot.
• Termites eat timber and they can literally eat a whole house. Get experts to exterminate termites and use timber products that have been treated to protect against termite infestations
• Lead paint. Read this article where water from house roofs was connected to water tanks so the water could be used for drinking and household purposes. The only problem is the roofs were painted with lead paint and now the water tanks are contaminated with lead. Lead is extremely dangerous to a person's health - particularly young children. Read More

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It's important if you're doing home renovations that you don't harm your health or your family's health. Ask for expert opinion if you're unsure what materials you're dealing with and if they contain lead or asbestos. Ensure you don't incorporate materials into your new home which could be harmful to your family.

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