Due to its affordability and durable quality, plenty of construction companies in Australia used asbestos in the past to build houses and other establishments. In Greater Western Sydney alone, four suburbs in the city of Black town made the list of the top 20 places in New South Wales that were most at risk from the dangers of asbestos.
But most residents were not aware of the threats. To address this problem, the commonwealth government developed a National Strategic Plan to improve the management of asbestos in Australia. The country also established the Office of Asbestos Safety in 2012 to begin the implementation of all the projects to eradicate the hazards of asbestos on a person’s health. For this reason, more households seek the help of companies that offer services like asbestos testing in Sydney to make sure that their homes are safe from the poisonous compounds released by asbestos.
After having your testing done, here is some information to guide you in hiring services to lessen the asbestos content of your property.
Why Should You Have Your Property Tested For Asbestos?
Homes with asbestos are widespread in Sydney, but it is more prevalent in homes built after the Second World War. According to a previous study, at least 70,000 households all over New South Wales used asbestos cement until 1954. While using asbestos in domestic construction ceased since the 1980s, the Australian government only implemented the total banning of this material all over the country in 2003.
But if you bought a second-hand property, you need to look for a company that provides asbestos testing in Sydney. They can make sure that the home will not put you at risk of severe diseases like asbestosis and malignant mesothelioma. You can acquire these diseases if you inhale airborne asbestos particles caused by brittle asbestos present at home.
What To Do If You Suspect That You Have Asbestos Contamination?
Even before calling a company providing asbestos testing in Sydney, you need to do some precautionary measures to protect yourself from the possible health hazards caused by these silicate minerals. The first and most crucial step is to avoid touching the suspected materials. You must also prevent children and pets from roaming around the area where you found the suspected asbestos and limit yourself from conducting activities in that particular space at home.
You must also avoid sweeping, vacuuming, or dusting the possible debris. As soon as you manage to secure the area, you must call a licensed professional to handle the asbestos. They can help you determine if the material is really asbestos and remove it immediately.
What Is The Process Of Reducing Asbestos At Home?
Professional asbestos removers initially take samples of suspected materials to a laboratory to find out if it is at risk of contaminating the area. Then they will prepare the site in case it needs prompt removal. To do this, they have to disable all the electrical systems and HVAC in the property. Then they will install a new electrical system to provide power for negative air pressure units to prevent the contamination of areas outside the workspace.
After that, they will install decontamination enclosure systems and tightly seal all the openings with plastic sheeting and duct tape. Once the area is already tightly sealed, they will clean up the asbestos using a HEPA vacuum and dispose of the waste properly in special landfills made for this material.
Taking care of asbestos at home can get complicated. But you need to have it done by a professional to make sure that you and every person in your household are safe from any possible health hazards caused by this chemical. As soon as you get rid of the asbestos, you can finally have peace of mind knowing that the air that you breathe will not make you unwell.
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