Asbestos abatement is the process of removing asbestos from a building. Asbestos is an extremely dangerous material that was used in construction for years before it was discovered that exposure to this harmful substance caused illnesses such as cancer, lung disease, and more.
Alpine Abatement is the leading team of technicians in the Pacific Northwest when it comes to asbestos abatement and mold mitigation.
We care about the people we serve, and we want you to know about all the ways you can maintain a safe environment for you and your family during asbestos abatement.
Our team will take care of all the dirty work, but here are a few things that you can do at home to make sure that everyone in your household stays safe:
Keep Everyone Away from the Work Area
This is the first step for keeping everyone safe when you're dealing with asbestos abatement. If there's asbestos in the home or business, most people will want to get away from it as quickly as possible.
First, make sure that all pets or children are removed from the area. Make sure they don't have any toys laying around that they may have come in contact with while near the affected area.
Charming yellow house with wooden windows and green grassy garden via FreePik
Next, make sure you're not wearing any clothes that could carry any traces of asbestos. Some people even wear protective gear such as a respirator mask to limit their exposure to airborne fibers.
Keep your family out of the affected area. The area that is being worked on needs to be free from people while our team is there so that we can work efficiently. Be sure to keep your children, pets, and any other loved ones out of the area until our job is completed.
Do not run air conditioners or fans in the house. Both air conditioners and fans could spread asbestos fibers throughout the house if they are running during abatement.
You'll want to turn them both off while we're working and be sure to keep them off after our job is done as well. You should also stay away from open windows while we're working since they could also blow in debris or fibers from outside.
Notify Your Neighbors in Advance
Most people know that they should stay away from an area where asbestos is being handled by professionals. However, some people may not realize what "staying away" truly means when it comes to keeping themselves safe from asbestos exposure.
Here at Alpine Abatement, we have a special interest in protecting the safety and well-being of our clients and their families.
If you suspect that your home or business has asbestos or other harmful materials, we want to ensure that you take the right steps to hire an abatement company and keep yourself and your family safe while the abatement process takes place.
If you have any neighbors who live close by, let them know the work will be going on so they can prepare themselves. They might want to make plans to go somewhere else while the abatement is happening.
Wear the Right Equipment
Make sure you have the proper safety gear before starting any projects involving asbestos. The best way to protect yourself is to wear a full-face respirator with dual HEPA cartridges and an asbestos-rated coverall suit (with attached hood, elastic ankle cuffs, etc.).
Your work area should also be quarantined to avoid spreading the fibers into other parts of the house. If you don't have the right equipment, though, it may be wise to hire a professional instead of doing it yourself!
House isolated in the field via FreePik
Hire A Professional
As mentioned before, it is very important that you hire a professional company when it comes to removing or cleaning up any type of asbestos.
Asbestos abatement is not something that should be attempted by an amateur; even small amounts of exposure can cause serious health problems down the road.
Never try to do this on your own as there are glues, adhesives, insulation, and other materials that may contain asbestos and must be handled with caution when removing.
Alpine Abatement has extensive experience in all areas of asbestos abatement and removal—if you suspect there is asbestos in your home or place of business, give us a call today!
Be Patient
Asbestos abatement takes time. The process includes not only identifying areas where asbestos may be present but also removing the asbestos safely and carefully.
In between these two steps, there will be a period of air clearance where air quality must be tested to guarantee that the asbestos has been removed completely. It is important to follow these steps so that no one is exposed to dangerous particles during this process.