Most people believe all asbestos was banned in the United States in the 1980’s; however, this is not the case. Therefore, prior to renovations or demolition, an asbestos building inspection should be performed, regardless of the age of the building, because even building material products that were recently installed can contain asbestos.
Asbestos is used in thousands of products because of its unique properties such as: fire resistance, high tensile strength, great insulation properties, and being generally resistant to chemicals. There are six varieties of asbestos, all six varieties are considered hazardous to human beings. You might not be aware of some of the common uses of asbestos, but ASTI’s inspections always include decorative plaster, sprayed-on ceilings, suspended ceiling tiles, drywall, mudding compound, mastic, roof tar, window caulking, cement piping used in air handling systems, and biocide flooring.
Pre-demolition and pre-renovation inspections are recommended in buildings of all ages because asbestos has been used in building materials for over 150 years. More importantly, the inspection should not be limited to the most common suspect materials because asbestos has been used in unique and unexpected ways.
More information?
Check out the ASTI site, click here for a PDF, or contact ASTI experts directly at 800.255.2800.