Asbestos: What is it and Why is it Dangerous?

Author's name: Ester Adams

If you are looking for an Australian city that is not as populated as Sydney, Melbourne, or Brisbane but just as packed with fun activities, then Wollongong may be the place for you. Wollongong is home to beautiful beaches, has affordable housing prices, and is close to bustling Sydney, so you can enjoy lots of perks while in the city. Are you convinced about the advantages of living in the city? Before you get carried away, you first need to find a home to move into.

Asbestos: What is it and Why is it Dangerous?
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As a homeowner, safety must be your top priority when preparing your place. Asbestos Removal in Wollongong should thus be one of the things you do before you officially move into your new home. Back in the 1800s, asbestos was commonly used as a material for properties, so homes built before 1890 may contain traces of the mineral in cement, floor tiles, and other crevices.

Asbestos can have potential health risks for anyone exposed to it, making it essential to remove any traces of it to prevent breathing it in. To help you understand the importance of getting it removed, read on to learn more about why the mineral is dangerous.

Dangers of Asbestos

All types of asbestos are harmful to those who breathe them since the mineral can break down into extremely thin fibres, which can then travel into a person’s lungs and cause severe health diseases.

Once the asbestos fibres are lodged into one’s lung tissues, the body cannot remove them, so exposure can increase the risk for diseases like mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis. The problem, however, is that asbestos is so hard to see or feel that you will not experience any symptoms like coughing or sneezing after breathing the material.

It is so undetectable that asbestos-related diseases may not be diagnosed until years after, when it may already be too late for treatment. Asbestos can be measured through fibres per cubic centimetre of air.

The more asbestos there is, the higher the risk to get an asbestos-related disease. Age can also be a contributing factor to the likelihood of contracting a disease, but no matter what the case may be, the fact remains that asbestos is unsafe, regardless of the amount.

Asbestos Removal

 Back in 2003, the Australian Department of Health banned all forms of asbestos to prevent exposure to the mineral. However, it is possible that houses built before this time still contain asbestos products, so Asbestos Removal in Wollongong is crucial to ensure that you get rid of any lingering traces of asbestos that may be in your home.

There are several asbestos abatement companies that can assist you in the removal procedure. Since asbestos is a hazardous material, it is best to leave the job to professionals who have the expertise and access to safety gear to handle it.

 Naturally, you have to make sure that you hire a licensed and insured company with a solid track record in the industry to ensure that any form of asbestos is removed completely. Although asbestos may be banned in Australia today, it is still possible to find the material hidden in the smallest spaces.

Exposure to the mineral can lead to severe health consequences, so as a homeowner, you must be cautious and contract asbestos removal services to get rid of any traces of it in your home, if any.

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