Asbestos is a building material that was commonly used in commercial and residential houses until the late eighties when it was banned. Many contractors preferred to use asbestos because it is fire-resistant and thus offered a measure of protection from fire damage. Asbestos was later found to cause serious health issues to people exposed to it. These health issues included cancer and asbestosis, a chronic lung disease that affects breathing.
To reduce exposure to asbestos, many state and federal building regulations require that an asbestos inspection is carried out before any demolition, renovation, or any other construction activity that could expose people to asbestos poisoning. This inspection is carried out by a licensed and independent entity. Here then is what you can expect during an asbestos inspection visit.
Visual Inspection
Asbestos inspectors start their inspection process with a visual inspection of the building in question. Asbestos is rarely visible to the naked eye and is often mixed with other materials. For this reason, it pays to engage an experienced asbestos inspection company whose staff have the experience and expertise to identify suspect material for further analysis.
Multiple Sampling
When inspectors are taking samples for asbestos testing, they are likely to take samples from a variety of places. This is because it is hard to tell which parts of the building contains asbestos. Taking multiple samples increases the chances of detecting asbestos if it was used in the building.
How Long It Takes
The length of time that it takes an asbestos inspector to inspect a building depends on the size of the building among other factors. It can range from a few hours to several days. Laboratory analysis for asbestos typically takes a few days too. Many asbestos inspection companies offer rapid testing at a premium fee. This can be the case in situations where results are needed quickly for example, in order to beat contractual deadlines.
Where do Asbestos Inspectors Look
When conducting an asbestos inspection, experts will typically zero in on certain areas that are more likely than most to contain asbestos. These include floor tiling, gypsum boards, fireproofing, roofing, glazing and many more areas. It is also important to remember that even though the use of asbestos has been banned in the United States, there are many building materials today that still have asbestos. What this means is that you should not assume that asbestos is only found in old buildings. It pays to test for asbestos in all kinds of buildings so as to have peace of mind that your home or commercial premises are free from asbestos.
Need top-notch asbestos inspection and testing services? Get in touch with Iris Environmental Laboratories! We provide asbestos inspection services to help our clients keep their home and commercial buildings safe. Call now at 1800-908-6679 to find out more on our asbestos inspection services or fill up our online form to be contacted by our consultants.