Renovating your home? Beware of asbestos

Renovating your home in order to boost its value is a common plan for people who are planning on selling their home soon. But if your home was built before the early 1980s, you may be at risk for asbestos exposure. If you’re planning on renovating, you should undergo an asbestos inspection.

In 2010, the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) saw the majority of people buying and selling their homes in the first part of the year. This was because the Harmonized Sales Tax was on its way, new mortgage rules would soon be implemented and mortgage rates were at record lows. Predictions for this year’s market said that 2011 would see a similar pattern because of low interest rates that are going to rise this summer, and now the Canadian Finance Minister has announced yet another round of stricter mortgage rules. The result of all of this should be a rush to buy and sell homes before it gets more expensive and difficult – which should mean another robust year for home renovations in Toronto and the GTA.

Asbestos Hotspots
According to the government of Canada, asbestos materials can be found in flooring, insulation, window putty, roofing shingles, pipe insulation, water heaters, light fixtures, textured ceilings and many other home construction materials.

The danger comes when the asbestos materials are disturbed (esp. during a renovation).  Toxic asbestos fibers become airborne during renovations, when they are then inhaled. Symptoms of asbestos exposure don’t present until years later in some cases, and the inhalation of asbestos fibers can result in mesothelioma, lung cancer and chronic lung scarring.

If you are renovating an older home this year, make sure you have an asbestos inspection completed beforehand so you know it is safe to proceed.

Should you suspect the presence of asbestos in your home or business, Contact GreenStreamEnvironmental.ca – Toronto’s asbesos inspection company – at (416) 818-9414.

Professional Asbestos Inspections in Toronto, North York, GTA, Ajax, Brampton, Etobicoke, Markham, Mississauga, Oshawa, Peel Region, Pickering,  Richmond Hill, Scarborough, Woodbridge ,Vaughan and York