The use of asbestos in homes and buildings started in the 1930s when asbestos was used extensively because of its fireproofing qualities. In addition to this, asbestos is resistant and it was used to give strength to siding materials. Then, in the 1970s, its use was prohibited because many deadly diseases were associated with it.

The existence of asbestos at home does not imply that there is risk of developing any of the diseases related to it. But the problem is that asbestos or the material containing it can be damaged or altered in a way that the fibers could be released and become airborne. When the fibers are freed, they pose a terrible hazard to health they can enter the organism by inhaling or ingesting them.

Nowadays, there are many laws and regulations that control the removal and disposal of asbestos.

The first step is to analyze the condition of the shingles at home. If they are in good condition, it is preferable to leave them alone. Because touching or altering asbestos material could cause great damage.

If the material is in good condition, fibers will not be released unless it is saw, drill or cut. So do not disturb material that is unspoiled. On the contrary, if the material is not in good state there are two options to solve the problem, one is to remove and the other is to repair it. The process of repairing the material includes sealing (encapsulation) or covering (enclosure) the asbestos.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 5th, 2007 at 9:10 am and is filed under Asbestos. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.