Asbestos...

[investinAK]

What is the deal with asbestos? Once a house has had it in it, is it possible to rehab the house or burn it down or ANYTHING? I have found an area in town with probably 10 houses, all boarded up by the city and condemned due to asbestos. Is there anything to pursue here?

[malcolan]

What is the deal with asbestos? Once a house has had it in it, is it possible to rehab the house or burn it down or ANYTHING? I have found an area in town with probably 10 houses, all boarded up by the city and condemned due to asbestos. Is there anything to pursue here?
Asbestos is extremely dangerous and can be realeased if you do a remodel. It would be very expensive to remove and contain the source. Some sources of Asbestos in the home can be:

Some roofing and siding shingles are made of asbestos cement.

Houses built between 1930 and 1950 may have asbestos as insulation.

Asbestos may be present in textured paint and in patching compounds used on wall and ceiling joints. Their use was banned in 1977.

Artificial ashes and embers sold for use in gas-fired fireplaces may contain asbestos.

Older products such as stove-top pads may have some asbestos compounds.

Walls and floors around woodburning stoves may be protected with asbestos paper, millboard, or cement sheets.

Asbestos is found in some vinyl floor tiles and the backing on vinyl sheet flooring and adhesives

Hot water and steam pipes in older houses may be coated with an asbestos material or covered with an asbestos blanket or tape.

Oil and coal furnaces and door gaskets may have asbestos insulation.

If the houses are known to contain asbestos, then you should probably hire a contractor with asbestos containment experience.

Asbestos professionals are trained in handling asbestos material. The type of professional will depend on the type of product and what needs to be done to correct the problem. You may hire a general asbestos contractor or, in some cases, a professional trained to handle specific products containing asbestos.

Asbestos professionals can conduct home inspections, take samples of suspected material, assess its condition, and advise about what corrections are needed and who is qualified to make these corrections. Once again, material in good condition need not be sampled unless it is likely to be disturbed. Professional correction or abatement contractors repair or remove asbestos materials.

Hope that helps.

--Andy :SM104:

[investinAK]

Thanks Andy! That is great information! It definitely helps!

:thumbsup:
Ryan

[Dan Auito]

Remember Ryan, there is good money in solving problems. The problem with asbestos is the frieability or the airborn particles that are released, these lodge in the lungs, your system attacks them and cysts grow around them which can become cancerous. Good respirators and protective clothing including sealed goggles are required and a place that can dispose of materials is another piece of the puzzle.

Get a quote to abate it from a couple of pro's and see if you can't get all ten homes for a song! You never know.

P.S. Nice job on nailing it down Andy! :praise:

[investinAK]

Thanks Dan! I will be in the area again tomorrow, so I will get the address from them and check the tax site and get the owner info and give them a call, see what's up with them, and go from there...

I'll keep y'all posted! :)


Ryan