Most of us are well aware of the fact that asbestos is a pretty dangerous substance. Prolonged inhalation of the fibers has been proven to cause lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis. What some people aren’t aware of, is that asbestos is a relatively simple issue to handle, if dealt with by a professional. In today’s installment of ‘Adventures in real estate’, I give a brief run-down on asbestos, and how to deal with it. This article was inspired by a situation I encountered in a home that I recently sold in Arden, Delaware. This situation provided the perfect example of how to deal with asbestos insulation the wrong way!
As a real estate agent in Delaware, I have the joyous pleasure of encountering asbestos on a relatively regular basis. In the housing industry, it is most commonly found in the following three forms:
Asbestos siding:
Most asbestos siding looks pretty similar to this, but can be painted to suit individual tastes.
Usually, asbestos-containing siding can be identified by it’s vertical, corduroy-like ridges and wavy, or ‘scalloped’ horizontal edges. About a quarter inch think, it has the feel of a clay flower pot… kind of hard and brittle. Since the main danger comes from inhalation of the fibers, asbestos siding is generally not much of a hazard unless it is broken and causes dust to be released into the air.
Asbestos Insulation:
Asbestos insulation usually found around hot water piping in basements.
Asbestos is a great insulator, so it was commonly used to insulate the pipes in older homes with hot water heating systems. The asbestos fibers were woven into a fabric-like material, and then wrapped around the hot water pipes to minimize heat loss between the boiler and the radiators. This form of asbestos is usually the most likely to be a serious concern for homeowners. The material is often deteriorating with age, causing the fibers to easily go airborne when disturbed.
Asbestos Flooring:
Vinyl floor tiles like these often contained asbestos, and were commonly used in the ’60’s and ’70’s
Another common asbestos-containing material is the vinyl tile seen above. Fairly common for homes built in the 60’s and 70’s, these tiles can be found in a plethora of colors and patterns. They are usually glued down, often in basements and porches, and generally pose the least risk of the 3 forms of asbestos discussed here.
The right way to deal with asbestos:
Asbestos remediation should only be performed by a licensed contractor who is certified to do so. The contractor will handle obtaining the necessary permits, transportation, and disposal. When the contractor is dealing with asbestos inside the home, the work area will be secured to prevent any of the fibers/dust from contaminating the rest of the home. Workers will likely be wearing respirators and ‘haz-mat’ protective coveralls to prevent inhalation of any debris. Upon completion, an air quality test should be performed to ensure that no airborne asbestos remnants remain.
The wrong way to deal with asbestos:
In my recent experience, the buyers had concerns about some ‘DIY’ repairs that they noticed on the hot water pipes in the basement. Several sections had been duct taped, and then spray painted black, as pictured below.
Old asbestos insulation wrapped with duct tape.
Naturally, this inspired some curiosity! As I began to remove the duct tape, I found a layer of plastic grocery bags beneath. As I continued to explore, I eventually uncovered this concealed carcinogenic chunk of asbestos:
This was someone’s idea of asbestos encapsulation…
Realizing that this was now a job for a specialist, I quickly put on the brakes, and left it for the pros. After some negotiations between buyer and seller, a mutual agreement was reached. We had all of the asbestos removed the right way as a condition of the agreement of sale, and everyone was happy!
In conclusion, asbestos can be pretty bad stuff! If you ever come across it in your home, be sure to contact a professional and have it dealt with properly.
Rob Stigler's Adventures in Real Estate 