WHAT TO DO IF YOU FIND ASBESTOS IN THE HOME

Asbestos may be present in many products and materials about the home. This normally presents no problem as long as the asbestos is in good condition and is not disturbed or misused.

When it becomes necessary to repair an item containing asbestos, when it is necessary to remove asbestos-containing material such as ceiling finish or pipe insulation, or when something has damaged asbestos-containing material such as pipe and boiler insulation, a professional in the asbestos field should be called.

The professional should have special training, such as that required by many states for asbestos worker certification. He/she should have special equipment, such as vacuum machines with very fine filters. These filters are known as "HEPA" filters, which stands for HIGH EFFICIENCY PARTICULATE AIR and are designed to filter out the asbestos fibers. (Household and shop vacuum cleaners, for example, which are not specifically designed for asbestos, will only scatter the fibers throughout the house and make the situation worse.) Such training and equipment are expensive and not usually practical for homeowners.

In spite of the fact that it is unwise to do so, the homeowner in most localities is not prohibited by law from repairing or even removing the asbestos-containing material in his/her home. There are times when, due to accident, lack of information, or other reasons, a homeowner attempts to deal personally with an asbestos problem.

Therefore, the next few pages of the booklet are dedicated to giving the homeowner as much information as possible to help him/her minimize the risk of asbestos exposure in the home.