What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring fiber that is high in its strength and is easily woven to make a variety of materials. It is generally fire-proof and has the ability to dampen sounds for acoustic rooms. It is when the asbestos becomes damaged that severe lung problems develop. You have probably seen asbestos used in many items but gave no thought to the actual material until it was pointed out to you. Asbestos is also resistant to many chemicals which make it ideal for work in some laboratories. There are actually several different forms of asbestos such as amosite, chrysotile, and crocodolite.

Do I need to test for asbestos in my home before I remove the insulation?

Before you begin removing insulation and starting a home renovation project you absolutely need to test for asbestos. The best place to start is by calling NIST, the National Institute for Standards and Technology. They can give you an accredited asbestos laboratory number to call. The lab will request that you send them a sample of the material that you will be removing. If it comes back positive for asbestos you will need to have certified people come in to remove the asbestos material from your home.

Does asbestos occur naturally?

Yes, asbestos does occur naturally. You can find it in serpentine rock and other types of certain rock formations. It is essentially in the same fibrous form that you would find in building materials and it can prove just as deadly if you were to break down the rock formations and expose or damage the asbestos vein.

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This entry was posted on Friday, August 8th, 2008 at 8:27 pm and is filed under Health & Beauty. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.