Repair and Restoration: Make Do and Mend

If you have an ongoing home renovation project, your contractor could have asked you to consider an asbestos survey. However, most homeowners do not understand why their properties need an asbestos survey during renovation. The extract below contains some insights to help you understand the benefits of an asbestos survey. 

Why Does Your Property Need an Asbestos Survey? 

Australian properties built before the asbestos ban often contain significant amounts of friable and non-friable asbestos. It is challenging to tell the location of the material since it was used on the floors, walls, roofs, insulation, ceilings and water pipes. During the renovation, the contractor might need to pull down some walls and remove the roof or floors. Therefore, the construction crew risks asbestos poisoning if the property contains asbestos. If this happens, you risk liability claims that could cost you thousands of dollars. An asbestos survey guarantees the safety of the construction crew. The assessment establishes the location, type, and volume of asbestos on the property. This way, you can plan abatement work to prevent asbestos contamination during the renovation. 

What Happens During An Asbestos Survey? 

An asbestos survey is an intrusive process whose primary objective is identifying asbestos-containing materials (ACM) on your property. The general rule is that the survey must be performed by an accredited individual. Expect the following during an asbestos survey; 

• The surveyor clears the area. For instance, they could remove furniture and appliances to prevent asbestos fibres from landing on these items. Besides, they shut off the AC to prevent it from sucking in the fibres.
• The professional wears protective clothing such as gloves, a mask and overalls to protect themselves from inhaling the asbestos fibres.
• The professional collects samples from the area. In some cases, they might have to conduct light demolition work. For instance, they could drill a hole to check the insulation.
• The asbestos surveyor then cleans the area with approved vacuum cleaners to remove any asbestos on the surface and walls.
• The professional sends the collected samples to a lab for testing. After this, they issue a report detailing the presence of asbestos on the property. 

If the property contains asbestos, you must conduct abatement works before the renovation. The best approach toward abatement work is to remove all the asbestos in your home. This way, you do not worry about asbestos contamination in the future. Moreover, you can guarantee the safety of your home when you put it up for sale in the future.  

For more information, contact a local company that does asbestos surveys.