Asbestos
in Your
Home
Prepared by
.AMERICAN
LUNG
ASSOCIATION
The Christmas Seal Peopleฎ
This booklet will help you understand asbestos:
what it is, its health effects, where it is in your
home, and what to do about it.
Even if asbestos is in your home, this is usually
NOT a serious problem. The mere presence of
asbestos in a home or a building is not hazardous.
The danger is that; asbestos materials may become
damaged over time. Damaged asbestos may re-
lease asbestos fibers and become a health hazard
THE BEST THING TO DO WITH ASBESTOS
MATERIAL IN GOOD CONDITION IS TO
LEAVE IT ALONE! Disturbing it may create a
health hazard where noneexisted before. Read this
booklet before you have any asbestos material in-
spected, removed, or repaired.
i
What Is Asbestos?
Asbestos isamineralfiber. Itcanbepositivelyiden-
tified only with a special type of microscope. There
are several types of asbestos fibers. In the past,
asbestos was added to a variety of products to
strengthen them and to provide heat insulation
and fire resistance.
How Can Asbestos
Affect My Health?
i
From studies of people who were exposed to asbes-
tos in factories and shipyards, we know that
breathing high levels of asbestos fibers can lead to
an increased risk of:
lung cancer;
3716 Published by this American Lung Association
9/90
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' Be Found In Tlie Home
Istos cement.
. as insulation.
ling compounds used on wall and ceiling joints. Their
[ fireplaces may contain asbestos.
e asbestos compounds.
atected with asbestos paper, millboard, or cement
Pong on vinyl sheet flooring and adhesives.
! coated with an asbestos material or covered with an
are legal actions filed against it.
Insist that the contractor use the proper equip-
ment to do the job. The workers must wear
approved respirators, gloves, and other protec-
tive clothing.
Before work begins, get a written contract speci-
fying the work plan, cleanup, and the applicable
federal, state, and local regulations which the
contractor must follow (such as notification
requirements andasbestos disposal procedures).
Contactyour state andlocalhealth departments,
EPA's regional office, and the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration's regional
office to find out what the regulations are. Be
sure the contractor follows local asbestos re-
moval and disposallaws.Attheendofthejob, get
written assurance from the contractor that all
procedures have been followed.
Assure that the contractor avoids spreading or
tracking asbestos dust into other areas of your
home. They should seal the work area from the
rest of the house using plastic sheeting and duct
tape, and also turn off the heating and air
conditioning system. For some repairs, such as
pipe insulation removal, plastic glove bags may
be adequate. They must be sealed with tape and
properly disposed of when the job is complete.
Make sure the work site is clearly marked as a
hazard area. Do not allow household members
and pets into the area until work is completed.
Insist that the contractor apply a wetting agent
to the asbestos material with a hand sprayer
that creates a fine mist before removal. Wet
fibers do not float in the air as easily as dry
fibers and will be easier to clean up.
Make sure the contractor does not break re-
moved material into small pieces. This could
release asbestos fibers into the air. Pipe insula-
tion was usually installed in preformed blocks
and should be removed in complete pieces.
Upon completion, assure that the contractor
cleans the area well with wet mops, wet rags,
sponges, or HEPA (high efficiency particulate
air) vacuum cleaners. A regular vacuum cleaner
must never be used. Wetting helps reduce the
chance of spreading asbestos fibers in the air.
All asbestos materials and disposable equip-
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mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the chest
and the abdominal cavity; and
asbestosis, in which the lungs become scarred
with fibrous tissue.
The risk of lung cancer and mesothelioma in-
creases with the number of fibers inhaled. The risk
of lung cancer from inhaling asbestos fibers is also
greater if you smoke. People who get asbestosis
have usually been exposed to high levels of asbes-
tos for a long time. The symptoms of these diseases
do not usually appear until about 20 to 30 years
after the first exposure to asbestos.
Most people exposed to small amounts of asbes-
tos, as we all are in our daily lives, do not develop
these health problems. However, if disturbed,
asbestos material may release asbestos fibers,
which can be inhaled into the lungs. The fibers can
remain there for a long time, increasing the risk of
disease. Asbestos material that would crumble
easily if handled, or that has been sawed, scraped,
or sanded into a powder, is more likely to create a
health hazard.
Where Can I Find
Asbestos And When
Can It Be A Problem?
Most products made today do not contain asbestos.
Those few products made which still contain as-
bestos that could be inhaled are required to be
labeled as such. However, until the 1970s, many
types of building products and insulation materi-
als used in homes contained asbestos. Common
products that might have contained asbestos in
the past, and conditions which may release fibers,
include:
STEAM PIPES, BOILERS, and FUENACE
DUCTS insulated with an asbestos blanket or
asbestos paper tape. These materials may re-
lease asbestos fibers if damaged, repaired, or
removed improperly.
RESILIENT FLOOR TILES (vinyl asbestos,
asphalt, and rubber), the backing on VINYL
SHEET FLOORING, and ADHESIVES used
for installing floor tile. Sanding tiles can release
fibers. So may scraping or sanding the backing of
sheet flooring during removal.
CEMENT SHEET, MILLBOARD, and PAPER
used as insulation around furnaces and wood-
burning stoves. Repairing or removing appli-
ances may release asbestos fibers. So may
cutting, .tearing, sanding, drilling, or sawing
insulation.
DOOR GASKETS in furnaces, wood stoves, and
coal stoves. Worn seals can release asbestos
fibers during use.
SOUNDPROOFING OR DECORATIVE MA-
TERIAL sprayed on walls and ceilings. Loose,
crumbly, or waiter-damaged material may re-
lease fibers. So will sanding, drilling, or scrap-
ing the material.
PATCHING AND JOINT COMPOUNDS for
walls and ceilings, and TEXTURED PAINTS.
Sanding, scraping, or drilling these surfaces
may release asbestos.
ASBESTOSCEMENTROOFING.SHINGLES,
and SIDING. These products are not likely to
release asbestos fibers unless sawed, drilled, or
cut.
ARTIFICIAL ASHES AND EMBERS sold for
use in gas-fired fireplaces. Also, other older
household products such as FIREPROOF
GLOVES, STOVE-TOP PADS, IRONING
BOARD COVERS, and certain HAIRDRYERS.
AUTOMOBILE! BRAKE PADS AND LIN-
INGS, CLUTCH FACINGS, and GASKETS.
What Should Be
Done About Asbestos
In The Home?
If yo think asbestos may be in your home, don't
panic! Usually, the best thingis to LEAVE asbestos
material that is in good condition ALONE.
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Major repairs must be done only by a profes-
sional trainedinmethodsforsafelyhahdlingasbes-
tos.
Minorrepairs shoxild also be done by profession-
als since there is always a risk of exposure to fibers
when asbestos is disturbed.
Doingminorrepairsyourselfisnotreconiniended
since improper handling of asbestos materials can
create a hazard where none existed. If you never-
theless choose to do minor repairs, you should have
as much information as possible on the handling of
asbestos before doing anything. Contact your state
or local health department or regional EPA office
for information about asbestos training programs
in your area. Your local school district may also
have information about asbestos professionals and
training programs for school buildings. Even if you
have completed a training program, do not try
anything more than minor repairs. Before under-
taking minor repairs, carefully examine the area
around the damage to make sure it is stable. As a
general matter, any damaged area which is bigger
than the size of your hand is not a minor repair.
Before undertaking minor repairs, be sure to
follow all the precautions described earlier for sam-
pling asbestos material. Always wet the asbestos
material using a fine mist of water containing a few
drops of detergent. Commercial products designed
to fill holes and seal damaged areas are available.
Small areas of material such as pipe insulation can
be covered by wrapping a special fabric, such as
rewettable glass cloth, around it. These products
are available from stores (listed in the telephone
directory under "Safety Equipment and Clothing")
which specialize in asbestos materials and safety
items.
REMOVAL is usually the most expensive method
and, unless required by state or local regulations,
should be the last option considered in most situ-
ations. This is because removal poses the greatest
risk of fiber release. However,, removal may be
recjuiredwhenremodelingormaldngmajor changes
to your home that will disturb asbestos material.
Also, removal may be called for if asbestos material
is damaged extensively and cannot be otherwise
repaired. Removal is complex and must be done
only bv a contractor with. speciaLtraining. _Im=
Where Asbestos Hazards Mซ
1. Some roofing and siding shingles are made of asbfj
2. Houses built between 1930 and 1950 may have asbes
3. Asbestos maybe present in textured paint and in pat
use was banned in 1977.
4. Artificial ashes and embers sold for use in gas-firej
5. Older products such as stove-top pads may have :
6. Walls and floors around woodburning stoves may be p|
sheets.
7. Asbestos is found in some vinyl floor tiles and the ba
8. Hot water and steam pipes in older houses may I
asbestos blanket or tape.
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Generally, material in good condition will not release
asbestos fibers. THERE IS NO DANGER unless fibers
are released and inhaled into the lungs.
Check material regularly if you suspect it may con-
tain asbestos. Don't touch it, but look for signs of wear
or damage such as tears, abrasions, or water damage.
Damaged material may release asbestos fibers. This
is particularly true if you often disturb it by hitting,
rubbing, or handling it, or if it is exposed to extreme
vibration or air flow.
How To Identify Materials That Contain Asbestos
You can't tell whether a material contains asbestos
simply by looking at it, unless it is labeled./ff in doubt,
treat the material as if it contains asbestos or have it
sampled and analyzed by a qualified professional. A
professional should take samples for analysis, since a
professional knows what to look for, and because there
may be an increased health risk if fibers are released.
In fact, if done incorrectly, sampling can be more
hazardous than leaving the material alone. Taking
samples yourself is not recommended. If you neverthe-
less choose to take the samples yourself, take care not
to release asbestos fibers into the air or onto yourself.
Material that is in good condition and will not be
disturbed (by remodeling, for example) should be left
alone. Only material that is damaged or will be dis-
turbed should be sampled. Anyone who samples asbes-
tos-containing materials should have as much infor-
mation as possible on the handling of asbestos before
sampling, and at a minimum, should observe the
following procedures:
Make sure no one else is in the room when sampling
is done.
Wear disposable gloves or wash hands after sam-
pling.
Shut down any heating or cooling systems to mini-
mize the spread of any released fibers.
Donotdisturbthematerialanymorethanisneeded
to take a small sample.
Place a plastic sheet on the floor below the area to be
sampled.
Wet the material using a fine mist of water contain-
ingafew drops of detergentbeforetakingthe sample.
The water/detergent mist will reduce the release of
asbestos fibers.
Carefully cut a piece from the entire depth of the
material using, for example, a small knife, corer,
or other sharp object. Place the small piece into a
clean container (for example, a 35 mm film canis-
ter, small glass or pilastic vial, or high quality re-
sealable plastic bag:).
Tightly seal the container after the sample is in it.
Carefully dispose of the plastic sheet. Use a damp
paper towel to clean up any material on the
outside of the container or around thearea sampled.
Dispose of asbestos materials according to state
and local procedures.
Labelthecontainerwithanidentificationnumber
and clearly state when and where the sample was
taken.
Patch the sampled area with the smallest possible
piece of duct tape to prevent fiber release.
Send the sample to an EPA-approved laboratory
for analysis. The National Institute for Standards
and Technology (NIST) has a list of these labora-
tories. You can get this list from the Laboratory
Accreditation Administration, NIST, Gaithers-
burg, MD 20899 (telephone 301-975-4016). Your
state or local health department may also be able
to help.
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Istos insulation.
business-size, self-addressed envelope.
Asbestos-containingautomobilebrake pads and
linings, clutch facings, and gaskets should be re-
paired and replaced only by a professional using
special protective equipment. Many of these prod-
ucts are now available without asbestos. For more
information, read "Guidance for Preventing Asbes-
tos Disease Among Auto Mechanics," available
from regional EPA offices.
If You Hire A
Professional Asbestos
Inspector
Make sure that the inspection will include a
complete visual examination and the careful
collection and lab analysis of samples. If asbes-
tos is present, the inspector should provide a
written evaluation describing its location and
extent of damage, and give recommendations
for correction or prevention.
Make sure an inspecting firm makes frequent
site visits if it is hired to assure that a contractor
follows proper procedures and requirements.
The inspector may recommend and perform
checks after the correction to assure the area has
been properly cleaned.
If You Hire A
Corrective-Action
Contractor
Checkwithyourlocalairpollutioncontrolboard,
the local agency responsible for worker safely,
and the Better Business Bureau. Ask if the firm
has had any safety violations. Find out if there
in sealed, leakproof, and labeled plastic bags.
The work site should be visually free of dust and
debris. Air monitoring (to make sure there is no
increase of asbestos fibers in the air) may be
necessary to assure that the contractor's job is
done properly. This should be done by someone
not connected with the contractor.
Caution!
Do not dust, sweep, or vacuum debris that
may contain asbestos. These steps will
disturb tiny asbestos fibers and may re-
lease them into the air. Remove dust by
wet mopping or with a. special HEPA
vacuum cleaner used by trained asbestos
contractors.
For more information, contact your local American
Lung Association for copies of:
Indoor Air Pollution Fact Sheet Asbestos
Air Pollution In Your Home?
Other publications on indoor pollution
For more information on asbestos in other con-
sumer products, call the CPSC Hotline or write to
the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission,
Washington, DC 20207. The CPSC Hotline has
information on certain appliances and products,
such as the brands and models of hairdryers that
contain asbestos. Call CPSC at 1-800-638-CPSC. A
teletypewriter (TTY) for the hearing impaired is
available at 1-800-638-8270. The Maryland TTY
number is 1-800-492-8104.
To find out whether your state has a training
and certification program for asbestos removal
contractors, and for information on EPA's asbestos
programs, call the EPA at 202-554-1404.
For more information on asbestos identification
and control activities, contact the Asbestos Coordi-
nator in the EPA Regional Office for your region, or
your state or local health department.
STATEMENT BY THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION: The statements in this brochure are basedin part upon the results of a workshop concerning asbestos in the home which was sponsored by the U.S.
CMUURKT Product Safety ComUlian and the American Lung Association rALA). The sponsors believe that this brochure provides an accurate summary of useful information discussed at the workshop and obtained
from other MUrcc*. However. ALA did not develop the underlying information used to create the brochure and does not warrant the accuracy and completeness of such information. ALA emphasizes that asbestos
should not be handled, sampled, removed or repaired by anyone other than a qualified professional.
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Sometimes, the best way to deal with slightly
damaged material is to limit access to the area and
not touch or disturb it. Discard damaged or worn
asbestos gloves, stove-top pads, or ironing board
covers. Check with local health, environmental, or
other appropriate officials to find out proper han-
dling and disposal procedures.
If asbestos material is more than slightly dam-
aged, or if you are going to make changes in your
home that might disturb it, repair or removal by a
professional is needed. Before you have your house
remodeled, find out whether asbestos materials are
present.
How To Manage An
Asbestos Problem
If the asbestos material is in good shape and will not
be disturbed, do nothing! Fit is a problem, there are
Asbestos Do9s And
Don'ts For The
Homeowner
Do keep activities to a minimum in any areas
having damaged material that may contain as-
bestos.
Do take every precaution to avoid damaging
asbestos material.
Do have removal and major repair done by
people trained and qualified in handling asbestos.
It is highly recommended that sampling and
minor repair also be done by asbestos profession-
als.
Don't dust, sweep, or vacuum debris that may
contain asbestos.
Don't saw, sand, scrape, or drill holes in asbes-
tos materials.
two types of corrections: repair and removal.
REPAIR usuallyinvolves either sealingor covering
asbestos material.
Sealing (encapsulation) involves treating the
material with a sealant that either binds the
asbestos fibers together or coats the material so
fibers are not released. Pipe, furnace, and boiler
insulation can sometimes be repaired this way.
This should be done only by a professional trained
to handle asbestos safely.
Coverjng(enclosure)involvesplacingsomething
over or around the material that contains asbestos
to prevent release of fibers. Exposed insulated
piping may be covered with a protective wrap or
jacket.
With any type of repair, the asbestos remains in
place. Repair is usually cheaper than removal, but
it may make later removal of asbestos, if necessary,
more difficult and costly. Repairs can either be
major or minor.
Don't use abrasive pads or brushes on power
strippers to strip wax: from asbestos flooring.
Never use a power stripper on a dry floor.
Don't sand or try to leivel asbestos flooring or its
backing. When asbestos flooring needs replacing,
install new floorcovering over it, if possible.
Don't track material that could contain asbes-
tos through the house. If you cannot avoid walk-
ing through the area, have it cleaned with a wet
mop. If the material is from a damaged area, or if
a large area must be cleaned, call an asbestos pro-
fessional.
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proper removal may actually increase the health
risks to you and your family.
Asbestos
Professionals: Who
Are They, And What
Can They Do?
Asbestos professionals are trained in handling
asbestos material. The type of professional will
depend on the type of product and what needs to be
doneto correct the problem. You may hire a general
asbestos contractor or, in some cases, a professional
trained to handle specific products containing as-
bestos.
Asbestos professionals can conduct home in-
spections, take samples of suspected material,
assess its condition, and advise about what correc-
tions are needed and who is qualified to make these
corrections. Once again, material in good condi-
tion need not be sampled unless it is likely to be
disturbed. Professional correction or abatement
contractors repair or remove asbestos materials.
Some firms offer combinations of testing, as-
sessment, and correction. A professional hired to
assess the need for corrective action should not be
connected with an asbestos-correction firm. It is
better to use two different firms so there is no
conflict of interest. Services vary from one area to
another around the country.
Thefederalgovernmenthas training courses for
asbestos professionals around the country. Some
state and local governments also have or require
training or certification courses. Ask asbestos pro-
fessionals to document their completion of federal
orstote^pprovedtraining.Eachpersonperforming
work in your home should provide proof of training
and licensing in asbestos work, such as completion
of EPA-approved training. State and'local health
departments or EPA regional offices may have
listings of licensed professionals in your area.
9. Oil and coal furnaces and door gaskets may have asbl
If you have a problem that requires the services
of asbestos professionals, check their credentials
carefully. Hire professionals who are trained, expe-
rienced, reputable, and accredited especially if
accreditation is required by state or local laws.
Before hiring a professional, ask for references
from previous clients. Find out if they were satis-
fied. Ask whether the professional has handled
similar situations. Get cost estimates from several
professionals, as the charges for these services can
vary.
Though private homes are usually not covered
by the asbestos regulations that apply to schools
and public buildings, professionals should still use
procedures described during federal or state-ap-
proved training. Homeowners shouldbe alert to the
chance of misleading claims by asbestos consult-
ants and contractors. There have been reports of
firms incorrectly claiming that asbestos materials
in homes must be replaced. In other cases, firms
have encouraged unnecessary removals or per-
formed them improperly. Unnecessary removals
are a waste of money. Improper removals may
actually increase the health risks to you and your
family. To guard against this, know what services
are available and what procedures and precau-
tions are needed to do the job properly.
In addition to general asbestos contractors, you
may select a roofing, flooring, or plumbing contrac-
tor trained to handle asbestos when it is necessary
to remove and replace roofing, flooring, siding, or
asbestos-cementpipethatis part of a water system.
Normally, roofing and flooring contractors are
exempt from state and local licensing require-
ments because they do not perform any other
asbestos-correction work. Call 1-800-USA-ROOF
for names of qualified roofing contractors in your
area. (Illinois residents call 708-318-6722.) For
information on asbestos in floors, read "Recom-
mended Work Procedures for Resilient Floor Cov-
ers." You can write for a copy from the Resilient
Floor Covering Institute, 966 Hungerford Drive,
Suite 12-B,Rockville,MD 20850. Enclose a stamped,
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