Asbestos Found in Fireproofing Materials

Till the whistle was blown on asbestos linking it to malignancy in the 80s, asbestos containing fireproofing material was used prolifically and routinely. Asbestos made the product fire resistant, fire retardant and was also a poor conductor of heat making it good for the purpose of keeping the house warm and safe.

Asbestos Exposure from Fireproofing Materials

If your house was built anywhere between the years 1900 and 1980, it is safe to assume that the fireproofing material contains asbestos. Different states and even different municipalities provide different options of how to go about handling asbestos containing material. The best option is to hire professionals who have experience in handling asbestos, such as a local asbestos abatement or removal firm. They will inspect the fireproofing material, may be send a sample for testing to an asbestos laboratory, and implement the necessary safety precautions when doing the job.

What was once considered the ideal fireproofing material and insulator is now recognized for its potential health hazard. Scientists and health officials talked of the potential dangers of asbestos in fireproofing materials in the 1970s, but people with vested interests continued to use it for many years to follow. Legislation was put in place to ban new products from containing asbestos. But the harm was done, and a very large number of buildings today attest to the historical use of the deadly material.

Fireproofing Materials Containing Asbestos Fibers

Developers and contractors from the building industry continued to install asbestos fireproofing materials and insulations in homes, schools, factories, and commercial facilities. Fireproofing materials containing asbestos were installed on roofs, on HVAC units, in boiler ducts and elsewhere. This continued till as late as the 1990s, long after manufacturers and developers became aware of the harmful effects of asbestos exposure.

Just because no symptoms of the disease have surfaced so far does not guarantee safety. You may still be at risk of exposure to asbestos. It is totally unpredictable where you may be exposed to asbestos containing material during your day. Many schools, factories and commercial campuses built in the 1970s or 80s harbor fireproofing materials that contain asbestos. The danger grows when any of these materials deteriorate owing to traffic, renovation, removal, or simply wear with age. The friable nature of asbestos makes the fibers airborne and exposure and aspiration of these asbestos fibers could lead to severe, life-threatening illnesses, such as lung cancer or mesothelioma.