Never Renovate Your Old Building Until You Handle Any Asbestos

If you are the owner or manager of a commercial business, then you know that you need to be as efficient as possible to stand a chance of success and to operate a modern and up-to-date facility. Consequently, if it's been some time since you renovated the premises and the building is quite old, you may be looking at your options and considering what to do next. However, before you think about tearing out any of the existing structure, or updating the floors, walls or ceilings, ask yourself whether this is safe or not. In other words, do you realise that your building may contain asbestos?

Widespread Use

As you may know, asbestos was not banned until the late 1990s and before that was in widespread use in the construction industry. If your facility dates back to the decades before that and has not been entirely renovated during that time, it is highly likely that asbestos is present, and it could be found in many different areas.

Where It Hides

For example, asbestos was used in insulation and could be hiding behind those walls and above the ceiling. It was also used in treatments and may have been used to create the fancy design on the ceiling or to augment the appearance of walls, columns and beams.

You may even be walking on top of it if your facility has vinyl flooring in place. Sometimes, the tiles themselves were made with asbestos while at other times they may have been joined together using a glue that was based on the material as well. In short, wherever you look, you may be at risk if you decide to renovate the building without seeking professional help.

Risky Release

Before you panic too much, you are probably perfectly safe if you leave everything in place. Asbestos will only become a real problem if it is disturbed, and the microscopic fibres are allowed to become airborne. These fibres are impossible to see with the naked eye, but they can enter the lungs, and this could lead to the development of a serious illness in years to come.

Best Course of Action

This is why you need to bring in a commercial asbestos specialist who will be very familiar with the problem. They will know where to look to test for the presence of asbestos and, once found, have a strict routine for asbestos disposal. They'll make sure that all of the asbestos is eliminated and disposed of properly and will then give you the all-clear so that you can continue with your renovation.

Share