While there are many homes in Victoria BC that are quite new, one should be aware of Victoria BC asbestos removal methods. This specially hold true for homes built in the 1980s and earlier. Asbestos is a known carcinogenic, and exposure to this substance is hazardous to everyone’s health. For the very young and infirm, inhalation or exposure to asbestos poses a much greater risk.
Asbestos removal methods are manifold. Treatment of existing asbestos depends on where it is located in your home. Since the danger of asbestos was not immediately apparent, a lot of older homes will find asbestos in their floor and ceiling tiles, the roof shingles, roof flashing, sidings, pipe cement, joining compounds. They were also used in seams between panels of sheetrock as well as for insulation around ducts, pipes, sheeting, boilers, and fireplaces.
It’s also important to know the type of asbestos that is in your home. There is the friable type and the non-friable type. The friable type of asbestos is one where the sheet or tile is almost purely asbestos. More often than not, asbestos material that crumbles easily is of the friable type. Non-friable asbestos is usually mixed with another material during manufacturing. The resulting product is tougher and less liable to become airborne, unless it is cut up, sawed, or nailed/punctured.
Popular and tested methods of asbestos treatment include:
- Encapsulation – this process uses a paint-like material that is sprayed onto the asbestos surface. When this material hardens, the asbestos becomes covered with the new surface that is tough and damage resistant. Depending on the asbestos and where it is being used, a penetrant encapsulator or a bridging one may be used. Bridging encapsulators harden over the surface, while a penetrant soaks into the asbestos, which then forms the hardened and protected layer.
- Enclosure – in this method, the offending asbestos is covered by a structure that is airtight. This is important, as a non-airtight enclosure will allow minute asbestos particles to escape the enclosure. This means a health hazard. The enclosure can be made from wood, metal, or sheetrock.
- Encasement – similar to an enclosure, the encasement method also seals the asbestos. For cases of contaminated dirt, a layer of concrete is poured over the treatment area. For interior use, a sprayable closed cell foam will be used to cover the offending area.
As you can see, asbestos removal methods are not for the amateur or DIYer. It takes an expert to determine which areas of the house need to be inspected and treated, as well as determine the method of asbestos removal that is best. In the Victoria BC are, Pro Pacific are the people to call.