Asbestos

Asbestos is a mineral fibre that was popularised as a building material in the construction of homes from the early 1940s to the 1980s, primarily due to its high tensile strength as well as its damage resistance to fire, heat, electricity and chemicals. There are three types of asbestos minerals that have been used in construction: Amosite, Crocidolite, and Chrysotile. Chrysotile is perhaps the most common mineral used and is widely known as ‘white asbestos’, while Crocidolite, known as ‘blue asbestos’, is regarded as the most dangerous.

Due to its traits, it was most commonly used as a fire-retardant and in a variety of construction materials for insulation. It was also used in many other products varying from vinyl floor tiles, tiling glue, roofing materials, plaster, and even friction products such as automotive brake and clutch repair work and so on.

Asbestos Testing and How to Identify Asbestos

Undisturbed, Asbestos is regarded as ‘safe’, however when the material is disturbed, either during repairs, demolition or even just by natural erosion, it becomes a serious health hazard. This is why the removal of asbestos must be regarded very seriously and done just as carefully.
The identification of Asbestos is quite often very difficult for anyone without proper training and credentials, and even then, the only way to be completely certain that the suspect material is, in fact, asbestos, is to have it tested within a certified laboratory.
Attempting to take a sample of the suspect material yourself is very hazardous and should not be done. Perhaps the best measure the average home or business owner can take is to speak with a professional and arrange for a full inspection.

The Removal Costs of Asbestos

The removal of Asbestos is a delicate process and must be done with much caution and by professionals, because of this, the cost to remove Asbestos after it has been identified can be quite high, from $2,000 and higher in most cases. In that scenario, Asbestos is usually only found in a couple of places. In the most extreme cases, where asbestos is found throughout the house, such as in the roof, ceilings, walls and floors, it can rise up to $20,000 to have it all removed.
One way to save on the cost, is to have an independent Inspector go through your home or workplace, identify the location of Asbestos and the potential health risk. Having this knowledge beforehand could help you reduce the removal cost as there may be areas that can simply be contained instead of requiring removal.
An advisable cause of action is to hire two separate contractors for the procedure, one to do both the Inspections, both before and after the work, and another for the actual removal work. The cost of this is only marginally different to having only one Contractor do the work, and it ensures that there are no conflicts of opinion when the work is complete.

One of the easiest ways to find a competent and local asbestos removal contractor is to find your nearest suburb on our list.

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