Avoid Asbestos Exposure During Home Improvement

Asbestos is carcinogenic and the primary cause of mesothelioma cancer. Most asbestos-related illnesses are linked to those who are exposed to asbestos at work; some of the top at-risk occupations include firefighters, construction workers, and industrial workers.

If your home was built prior to 1980, it could contain asbestos, so it’s very important to treat certain areas carefully to avoid exposure. Remodeling certain areas, as well as normal wear and tear, could potentially release dangerous fibers that pose a threat to you and your family.

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a group of mineral fibers made primarily of oxygen and silicon. Fibers can be found in soil and rocks around the world. Asbestos fibers are heat resistant, strong, and don’t conduct electricity, so they’ve been commonly used in many insulating materials up until the 1970s in the U.S. In new buildings, alternative insulators are used.

Common Places to Find Asbestos in the Home

Vinyl floor tiles
Roofs
Cement shingle siding
Pipes
Appliances
Fireplaces and wood stoves
Window caulking
Popcorn ceiling texture and textured paint
Attic, pipe, and furnace insulation
Patching compounds

How to Avoid Exposure

If you have asbestos in your home, or you’re not sure whether you do or not, leave the area in question alone. Call a trained professional to inspect it and test for asbestos before beginning a home improvement project. They can tell you if any materials contain asbestos if removal or a repair is required.\

Disturbing something that contains asbestos could release fibers into the air for you to inhale. Even if you don’t disturb these areas, natural deterioration could send dust airborne.

Until the area has been tested and confirmed to be asbestos-free, avoid

Removing roofing or siding materials
Scraping floor tiles
Touching or moving loose-fill attic insulation
Removing insulation around plumbing or the furnace
Sanding popcorn ceilings
Scraping patching compounds

The bottom line: don’t touch it! It’s not worth risking your health and wellbeing. Leave dealing with asbestos-containing materials to the pros. Even if you’re not planning to remodel your home, asbestos fibers can be released into your home if building materials, like drywall or ceiling tiles or paint, starts wearing down or becomes damaged. If you notice anything that may raise a red flag, deal with it immediately. Call an accredited asbestos professional to inspect your home and provide the best course of action for remedy.

What our clients say about us

The team at Cyclone Contracting just finished up installing our new living room window and it looks amazing! Dave, Cody, Rodney and Hunter did amazing work, communicated great and treated our house like there own while they were here. Great experience!

Charlie H.

We had Cyclone Contracting do a bathroom remodel. There were some hiccups along the way, as in almost any construction project, and they were handled promptly and professionally. We love our new bathroom!

Jolene W.

We used Cyclone Contractors for the remodel of our bathroom and it was worth every penny. They worked hard to design a bathroom that was within our budget. It’s not only a beautiful bathroom but it’s functional for our lifestyle as well. Their team (subcontractors too) were all professional, responsive, and kind throughout the project.

Liz M.

Had my front porched remodeled by Cyclone Construction. The work they did was outstanding, and Nathan, Dave, Cody, and Milo were great to work with. Will definitely use them again if I've got any major remodeling work that I need to have done.

JR T.

We hired Cyclone Contracting to put up blinds in our sunroom and we couldn't be happier! Michelle came out and was a huge help with the selection. I couldn't have done it without her. They came in yesterday after only four weeks and Dan and DJ came out today for the installation. They were great and very knowledgeable about their product. Everyone was fantastic from start to finish!

Suzanne M.