Trendy DIY Renos or Asbestos Risk?

WorkSafeBC has launched a campaign we’d like to see make waves across the country, warning homeowners about the risk of asbestos when it comes to home renovations.

Home renovations are undergoing a new renaissance. It makes sense; with the price of housing climbing through the roof, it’s often a better choice to renovate than move. There is plenty of help to DIYers, from TV shows to Youtube tutorials and stores set up with experts to tap for advice.

But, there’s also a huge potential problem that most of those DIY lessons don’t tell you about: asbestos.

The Asbestos Reality
Homes built before 1990 could contain asbestos in various forms. That may include pretty much anywhere from floor to ceiling.

• Asbestos contaminated vermiculite insulation, particularly in attics;
• Asbestos/vinyl floor tiles;
• Asbestos “acoustic” ceiling tiles;
• Popcorn ceilings (the texture comes from…you guessed it, asbestos);
• Wall panels;
• Textured paints;
• Drywall mud;
• Window and door sealing putty;
• Pipe chasing and insulation;
• and more!

In most cases, asbestos or asbestos containing materials are considered safe as long as they are intact. That’s why renovations can be so problematic. Once you start drilling, opening walls, and creating dust, you may be creating friable (or inhalable) asbestos.

Asbestos is fire retardant and nearly indestructible. At one time, it seemed like a miracle construction material — until decades later, when workers who’d been exposed to asbestos began to sicken and die.

The dangers of asbestos are real and well documented, and no amount of exposure is considered safe. It can cause a host of respiratory issues, including lung cancers. The asbestos fibres are inhaled, and they never leave your lungs, causing scarring and eventually, changes that can lead to cancer and even mesothelioma, a unique type of malignancy that is caused only by asbestos exposure and is always fatal. It’s not alarmist – it’s reality.

Trust GreenStream
You can trust the experienced asbestos removal experts and asbestos remediation experts at GreenStream Environmental to take care of the issue for you. In the Toronto area contact GreenStreamEnvironmental.ca at (416) 818-9414. Contact us for a quote today.

Featured in Mike Holmes’ magazine, HGTV’s Income Properties, W Network’s Love It Or List It and chosen by Homestars.com as “Best Toronto Asbestos Removal Company” based on customer ratings and reviews, GreenStream Environmental Services are fully-certified, trusted and insured professionals in the removal and disposal of commercial, industrial, institutional and residential asbestos, vermiculite and mould (hazardous and non-hazardous). Providing emergency service 24/7/365 for all of Toronto and the GTA (North York, Mississauga, Markham, Brampton, Scarborough, Ajax, Oshawa, and beyond) GreenStream has over 40 combined years of experience serving clients such as the City of Toronto, the Toronto District School Board and many more. For a free estimate in Toronto, the GTA and Southern Ontario, call today at 416-818-9414. You’ll be glad you did.