Asbestos is a natural mineral commonly found in South Africa, USA and Canada. It is known to have excellent heat resistant properties, due to which it was widely used in the construction industry for making flooring and installing drywall. It also became a popular fireproofing and insulating agent in homes, offices, schools, hospitals, etc.

As the world seemed to fall in love with asbestos, experts discovered some potentially serious health hazards of it, and its use eventually got banned in the construction of buildings. They found that inhaling asbestos fibres can lead to serious health conditions like mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, etc. Although it is no longer used in the construction industry, it may still be present in buildings constructed before the 1970s. If your building is one of these and you are concerned about the presence of asbestos in it, then the best possible solution would be to go for asbestos testing. With this, you will be able to determine whether your building has asbestos or not, and what you should do with it.

Why Asbestos Testing Is Important

It is a fact that asbestos was widely used in the construction of residential as well as commercial buildings before the 1970s. This was the time when the dangers of asbestos were not known and it was regarded as a material with excellent insulation and fire-resistance properties. So, if your building was constructed during this time, there are high chances that it must be containing asbestos, and it can be ensured by professional asbestos testing only. After this test, you can be sure if there is any hidden danger lurking in your ceiling, flooring or drywall.

Times When You Should Do Asbestos Testing

• Before renovating your building: If your building was constructed before the 1970s, it must have become very old and damaged by now, and you might be considering its renovation. Some recently constructed buildings may also contain asbestos in one form or the other. So, if you are renovating your building, then go for asbestos testing to be sure and safe.
  

• Before demolishing your building: If you are planning to completely demolish your old building and making new from scratch, then also you must test it for the presence of asbestos. However, if your building is badly damaged, it may have asbestos fibres in the air and it may not be safe for an inspector to enter inside. Old buildings may have asbestos in disturbed state, and exposure to it may lead to seriously hazardous conditions for the workers involved in the demolition project. So, asbestos removal must be performed first before starting the building’s demolition.
  

• When you suspect friable asbestos in your building: As your building ages, the asbestos in it may become friable and its fibres may get released into the air. When these fibres enter your body, they cause potentially fatal health hazards like lung cancer. Sometimes, regular maintenance or routine repair work may disturb the material and release fibres into the air. Therefore, it is important to periodically get the building inspected for any disturbed asbestos in it. Ideally, you should conduct this testing at least once a year.
  

• When the occupants start developing health issues: Whether it is a residential or a commercial building, if the occupants or workers inside it start developing unexplained health issues, especially respiratory problems, then probably they have been exposed to friable asbestos.

So, if you are going through any of these processes, then don’t be late to conduct asbestos testing, as long-term exposure to this mineral can lead to serious health conditions in the people working around it.