After you have found an environmental problem at your property, you take the next step to resolve it. After contacting a professional to remediate the problem, you might even breathe a sigh of relief. However, sometimes the help you request can lead to dire consequences. In a previous blog, I discussed environmental horror stories from
Have you ever wondered how asbestos is safely removed from a property? Asbestos abatement also known as asbestos removal is an intensive process. To be clear, Indoor Science does not offer asbestos abatement or have financial ties with abatement companies. Earlier in my career, I worked as a project manager overseeing asbestos abatement at schools
One of the final stages of asbestos abatement is to have an independent consultant do “clearance testing”. Before clearance testing is performed, the asbestos was identified by a consultant and it was abated by a licensed asbestos abatement contractor. Clearance verifies if the abatement work was properly done and the level of airborne asbestos is
Living in the 21st century, it is very likely that you have seen a commercial or advertisement about asbestos-related illness or lawsuits. While the term asbestos has mainstream recognition, many aspects of it are not generally understood by the general public. Many will ask how does asbestos form? What does asbestos look like? In this
There are also state and municipal level requirements for asbestos inspections and abatement work. While mold licensing is mandated in a few states such as Florida and New York, every state often has a form of asbestos licensing for workers and inspectors.
One common misconception that we hear from clients is that asbestos can grow in a property. While some environmental contaminants such as mold or bacteria can grow within a property, asbestos can not. The term asbestos refers to a group of minerals that are inorganic and naturally occurring. In this blog, we will discuss how
Have you ever seen a popcorn ceiling in a property built before 1980? It is possible that this material is an asbestos-containing surfacing material. Asbestos-containing surfacing materials are materials that are sprayed or trowelled on surfaces. Examples of this include plaster, spray-on fireproofing, and textured ceilings such as popcorn ceiling. Asbestos provided these materials with
The risk of exposure to asbestos depends on several factors. The condition of the material, type of disturbances, and the material’s friability play a large role in this. However, it could be argued that friability is the greatest factor. Friability refers to whether or not a material can be ground into a powder with hand
Did you know that some non-friable materials can have high asbestos content? Often when thinking of high asbestos concentration in materials we assume these to be friable materials. While friable materials such as thermal system insulations are typically higher than most non-friable materials, there are some materials that are on par. Transite, asbestos gaskets, and
During a typical home inspection, the inspector will evaluate the structure of the home, along with the conditions of walls, plumbing, HVAC systems, and
I’m sure you are familiar with asbestos, but did you know that there are different types of asbestos? In previous blogs, we discussed the basics of both chrysotile and crocidolite. Chrysotile is a serpentine based mineral which was the most common asbestos used. Crocidolite is a blue amphibole mineral more rarely used than chrysotile. These
Last week, Americans across the country remembered the 18th anniversary of the attacks that occurred during 9/11. These attacks not only killed thousands of Americans in the initial strike but also created environmental conditions that continue to affect citizens exposed to the toxic dust of the World Trade Center collapse
Buying or remodeling an older property can be exciting. However, one item that can be uncovered is vinyl floor tile installed before the late 1970s. Vinyl floor tiles made before this time period could potentially contain asbestos and derail a major housing project. In this blog, we will discuss vinyl floor tile and how to
During the purchase or renovation of a property built before the 1980s, many homeowners will question if asbestos-containing materials are present. When inspecting a property, many people ask what were the peak years for asbestos to be used in homes
Most people assume a property built after the late 1970s won’t have any asbestos present. While this is the most likely scenario, it is still possible to have asbestos in a home built after that time period. Many will be stunned by this revelation because they assume that asbestos was fully “banned” in the United
After mold has been discovered, the primary concern of the property owner is to have remediation. One potential hazard that is often overlooked is the presence of asbestos in the materials that are being remediated. While the EPA has created the RRP Rule (Renovation, Repair, and Painting) to educate contractors about accidentally disturbing lead paint, there is no such rule in regards to asbestos.
Many of our clients are daunted by the potential presence of asbestos in their home. What makes the process more stressful is the fear of the cost to test and abate asbestos. In this blog post, we will give you a summary of our pricing for asbestos testing services.
Let’s say you found an asbestos-containing material and you had it professionally abated. Now you’re left wondering if the contractors really removed the microscopic asbestos fibers or if these carcinogens are still floating in the air. Asbestos air clearance testing refers to the process in which the work area is visually evaluated to ensure that abatement
For asbestos air testing, there are two primary sampling methods: PCM (Phase Contrast Microscopy) and TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy). Both methodologies analyze for fiber concentration through pumping the ambient air into filtered air cassettes. The process usually involves running a number of high volume air pumps depending on the size of the property to achieve a volume of 1,200 liters of air. In this blog post, I will discuss the benefits and drawbacks to each method of testing.
A common question we receive when clients are concerned about asbestos is “How do you test for asbestos?” In fact, there are many ways asbestos can be sampled. These methods include bulk, air, and dust sampling. In this blog post, I will go over these methods and how to decide which testing is best suited for your situation.
When most people imagine what asbestos looks like, they often think of a white fibrous mass. However, asbestos varieties come in different shades such as brown and blue. The blue asbestos is called Crocidolite. For my fellow geology enthusiasts, Crocidolite is actually the name of the fibrous form of the blue mineral known as Riebeckite.
As we have discussed in previous blog posts, asbestos is a versatile substance. Although it is typically only thought of being used in building materials, its usage eventually branched out to Hollywood. Due to the texture and pale color of chrysotile, a common form of asbestos, it was sometimes used as a snow substitute in
So you just bought your new home or are conducting renovations in your property and you discover a material that you suspect is asbestos-containing. You decide to have the material tested by a licensed inspector and when the samples come back positive, you discover it is in fact asbestos. Now the decision comes of what
Did you know that there are different types of asbestos? There are six different minerals that we collectively call “asbestos”. Chrysotile is the most commonly found mineral in asbestos-containing materials. According to OSHA, Chrysotile makes up 95% of the asbestos found in asbestos-containing materials in the United States. Chrysotile fibers are typically more curly while
You may have come across something called “vermiculite” in potting soil or in attic insulation. Why is it often associated with asbestos? Vermiculite is a mineral that appears in a pebble-like form. It is often gray, silver, and gold in color and can shimmer in light. Because of its insulating properties and versatility, vermiculite was
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