5 Surprising Places Asbestos May Be Found
Asbestos is one sneaky, lethal substance.
When disturbed, its nearly invisible fibers float in the air just waiting for someone to breathe them in. And if you do, and you breathe enough of it in for a long period, it can bring on respiratory problems, mesothelioma, and lung cancer.
Because asbestos was added during the manufacturing process of many items, it can be hard to find. The only way to be sure of its presence is through testing. And even then you may find it in the last place you expect. Most people assume that old buildings are where asbestos is most likely to be found, but the following are other places it can also show up.
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Schools:
We hope that the only thing our children pick up at school is knowledge. But during the 1980s, asbestos was found to be so prevalent in our schools that the government created a whole separate set of rules and regulations to protect school children and employees from asbestos exposure. While the majority of schools today regularly inspect for asbestos, it may still be contained within old vinyl flooring, ceiling tiles, and insulation.
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Hospitals:
Wait, aren’t hospitals the places we go to get well, not sicker from things like asbestos exposure? Unfortunately, many hospitals built before the 1980s were constructed with asbestos-containing materials. They were used to help prevent fires and stop medical equipment from getting too hot. Some areas of hospitals where asbestos may still be found are:
- Boiler rooms and laundries where asbestos was included in insulation
- In service tunnels and cooling towers
- Wiring insulation and on fire doors covered with asbestos cement sheets
- In insulation materials covering heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning ducts
Hospitals are always being renovated or added on to, so if asbestos testing and abatement haven’t been properly done, those working on the building, hospital staff, and even patients may be exposed to asbestos that’s been disturbed.
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Commercial Buildings:
We all have our favorite restaurants, stores, and theaters. Many of these buildings are older, so it wouldn’t be that surprising to find that they contain asbestos. But although asbestos has been banned from the manufacture of most products, you can find it even in new buildings. For instance, it may still be contained in vinyl tiles, roofing materials, and cement pipes. It might be in the curtains of movie theaters. And it may be found in pipe insulation.
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Churches:
Asbestos was mostly used in churches for preventing fire and soundproofing acoustical panels. Those panels were installed on walls and ceilings to reduce the echoes and absorb the sound of music inside the church. Asbestos was also used in pipe organs, bellows, and organ blowers, as well as the construction materials used in commercial buildings.
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Your Home:
Yep, even though we hate to admit it, asbestos is likely in our homes too, in the same places it’s found in schools, hospitals, commercial buildings, and churches – construction materials. You’ll find many more incidents of it in older homes, but even new homes may contain asbestos in cement shingles and pipes, vinyl floor mastic, drywall tape and joint compound, and pipeline wrap.
But no matter where you are, remember this: There’s no risk to you if the asbestos-containing materials are in good condition and are left undamaged or undisturbed.
But if you have any doubts or concerns and live in Pueblo , Colorado Springs , or surrounding Colorado communities , ensure your health and safety by having asbestos testing and any need removal performed by the experts at Cyclone Kleen Up. They have the know-how and equipment needed to remove asbestos as safely as possible.
