Using a Contractor to Improve Your Home

Why You Can't Remove Asbestos Yourself

Remodelling a home is not always that straightforward, especially when it's a much older home that needs to be thoroughly updated. A lot of brave homeowners try to do as much work on their own as possible to save money, but there are some issues that those homeowners should never touch. Instead, it's necessary to call in professionals. For example, rewiring the entire house needs a professional electrician. And if the house has anything that might have asbestos in it, an asbestos removal company needs to be called in.

It's the Dust That's the Real Problem

Could you tear out, say, asbestos-laden tiles yourself? Physically you could, but you wouldn't want to. It's the dust that presents the biggest problem, and companies that are certified in asbestos removal know how to control that dust. You don't. The problem with the dust is that it gets everywhere, and you risk breathing some in even if you're wearing a respirator. You also can't be sure that you've removed every last bit of material that contains asbestos, but a certified removal company technician has been trained and knows what to look for.

The Materials Need Special Disposal

After you've ripped out all those asbestos tiles, you'll be left with a pile of material that needs to be thrown out. You can't throw it in the usual bin for pickup during the week. In fact, it's illegal to do that; you have to bring the waste to a landfill that is certified to accept hazardous waste that includes asbestos. So, you can't just leave the pile in the yard for months as you take it bag by bag to that landfill; your best move is to call an asbestos removal company, have them take the materials down and then haul them away.

Unless You've Been Trained, You'll Never Be Sure It's All Gone

The cleanup after asbestos removal is not that easy, either. You have to control dust, and you have to be sure there is no dust left behind. And if you're not trained in asbestos cleanup, you'll never be sure you got it all. This is not a material that you want to ignore because you don't know at what point it might become a problem. Plus, if you don't clean up properly and don't have a certified asbestos-removal company take care of this, that could affect your ability to sell your home in years to come.

Any asbestos-related work needs to be done by a certified removal company. Yes, you want to save money, but this is not the time to be cheap. You need professional help for this part of the remodelling.


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