Posts by GreenStream Environmental
Toronto School Fire Raises Asbestos Concerns
A recent six-alarm blaze in a school shocked Toronto and made headlines across the GTA recently, and it looks like the damage may not be over – with asbestos now a potential risk. Fire at York Memorial C.I. Like many schools in the Toronto District and other area school boards, York Memorial C.I. was an…
Read MoreMouldy Toronto Home Sells For $650K
Mouldy home? No problem – at least, not for some buyers in Toronto’s crazed real estate market. A home in Scarborough, in the east end of the city, just sold for $650,000, a full $100,100 over the asking price, despite the fact that it was literally riddled with mould. A Buyer’s Nightmare – Or Not?…
Read MoreVermiculite Insulation & Asbestos: A Quick Guide
The feverish real estate market in Toronto and the GTA means that sellers aren’t as interested in fixing up the old homestead before they put it on the market. As a buyer, it means that you might well be looking at old problems that should have been dealt with years ago – like vermiculite insulation.…
Read More17K Realtor Listings Boast: No Popcorn Ceilings!
Here’s something you didn’t see years ago: realtor listings that make a point of mentioning ‘No Popcorn Ceilings!’ They’re outdated, they’re unsightly – and they might just pose an asbestos risk. A recent tally on Realtor.com counted over 17,000 listings that touted ‘No popcorn ceilings!’ Once a fad, now a pariah, if you watch those…
Read MoreAsbestos Removal – In BC, The Punishment Fits The Crime
An asbestos removal contractor has been barred from the industry by the B.C. Supreme Court after being issued literally hundreds of orders for breaking the rules. The Story Seattle Environmental and related companies owned by Mike Singh have operated in the Lower Mainland area of greater Vancouver for several years. The court found the company…
Read MoreAsbestos and Plumbing Repairs
If you own a home that was built before the early 1980s, you are probably aware that it may contain asbestos in various forms. Perhaps you have had floor or ceiling tiles replaced, or the attic insulation. But, there’s an area of your home that you may not consider when you’re thinking about asbestos risk…
Read MoreWinter Weather, Ice Dams – And Mould In Your Home
Since mould occurs wherever there is moisture, you may be under the impression that the freezing cold temperatures of winter mean you can relax about at least one common household hazard. Unfortunately, your optimism would be misplaced. Freeze/Thaw/Freeze This winter, Toronto and the GTA has seen its fair share of nasty weather, including mounds of…
Read MoreAsbestos Lessons To Be Learned From Social Housing Woes West of GTA
A social housing situation just west of the GTA puts the spotlight on maintenance when it comes to avoiding problems with asbestos and other potential hazards in your home. The Situation Residents of a public housing development in Hamilton have to relocate for periods of weeks to months as the building undergoes asbestos removal procedures.…
Read MoreOld Home? – An Asbestos Horror Story
Just before the end of 2018, a homeowner in Winnipeg got a nasty surprise for the holidays – asbestos in the walls. It was a water leak in an upstairs bathroom that led to a cascading series of woes. Unfortunately, the leak on a connector to the toilet tank began overnight, and by morning, had flooded the entire…
Read MoreAsbestos: Can You Shrinkwrap Your Way To Safety?
The recent headline from upstate New York was nothing short of comical: Ithaca woman wraps houses in plastic, fears asbestos from former library The idea behind it, though, wasn’t a joke at all. A Dangerous Demolition? Scratch behind the surface of most headlines and you’ll find a more complicated version of the truth. Here’s the…
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