Posts Tagged ‘Asbestos removal’
Home Renovations: Don’t Forget The Asbestos Risk
Almost half of all Canadian homeowners plan on spending some money on home renovations. When you add in the hot GTA real estate scene, which has seen many fixer uppers flood the markets as desperate buyers compete for homes at seemingly any price, and you’ve got the current reno boom. The Asbestos Risk Resistant to…
Read MoreToronto 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 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 They’re outdated, they’re unsightly – and they might just pose an asbestos risk.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 Dumping
Slowly but surely, environmental regulations as it relates to asbestos is tightening up across the country. That means that both workers and the public will be better protected against asbestos exposure. There is a flip side to the story, unfortunately – asbestos dumping. A Case in Burnaby, BC A recent case in British Columbia, illustrates…
Read MoreThe Paradise Theatre – Asbestos & Historic Renovations
Historic building renovations run smoothly when all the complications are considered – including asbestos. Toronto’s historic Paradise Theatre is a beautiful example of Art Deco style architecture on Bloor Street. The building at 1006 Bloor West has housed a theatre of one kind or another from the time it was designed in 1937 until 2006. As…
Read MoreCity of Portland New Demo Rules Target Asbestos Dust Contamination
This month, the city of Portland, Oregon, approved a new series of regulations about home demolitions that were designed to help control and minimize exposure to asbestos and lead dust. The city took a leading role in promoting safer conditions in demolition situations. These include a number of specifications. Contractors are now required to take…
Read MoreUpdate That (Asbestos Riddled) Popcorn Ceiling
So you’ve bought an older home in the GTA, or perhaps you already own one, and while you love a lot of things about it, there is the matter of that outdated, bumpy plaster ceiling. It’s hard to believe now, but popcorn ceilings – those textured, by now often discoloured plaster and stucco treatments –…
Read MoreAsbestos And Renovation Projects
Just west of the GTA, a public renovation project is a reminder that when you’re dealing with older buildings, you need to take asbestos into account from the beginning. Like many homes throughout Toronto and Southern Ontario, the Dundas Museum & Archives in Hamilton, Ontario is an older structure. The 80 year-old building will be…
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