More Homeowners Should Ask for Asbestos Abatement Help

April 5, 2006 - Across the United States, people continue to recognize the serious problems caused by asbestos and more and more homeowners are asking for help when it comes to removing the dangerous material from their homes during renovations. 

Just a decade ago, states feared that homeowners were taking abatement issues into their own hands, therefore removing asbestos improperly and not taking proper steps to dispose of the material.  As the dangers of asbestos are more widely publicized through extensive law suits and other means, those who need to remove old, possibly damaged asbestos from their homes are, at last, beginning to follow proper procedures. 

For example, Oregon, which has a state notification program in regards to asbestos abatement, has seen a rise of about 33% in requests for assistance in removing asbestos over the last decade. 

Still, states are concerned that there are many abatement projects that are still being done outside of the laws that protect citizens from exposure to this dangerous material, which can cause lung diseases such as asbestosis or mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lungs.  Because proper asbestos removal traditionally costs up to $10 per square foot, many homeowners choose to cut corners, putting themselves and others at risk for inhaling airborne asbestos fibers. 

At one point, asbestos was used in more than 3,000 products including many products used in the building of a home, including not only insulation but also floor and ceiling tiles and other items that are periodically replaced by homeowners.  It’s these “small” projects that alarm officials, as many homeowners either don’t recognize the existence of asbestos in things like floor tiles or they simply ignore the need for help in properly removing the asbestos.