Philadelphia Asbestos Prevention & Removal for Home Owners

Jesse Herman, the Awareness Coordinator at the Mesothelioma Cancer Center (www.asbestos.com) reached out to me recently to provide some important consumer information - I hope you find it useful!

Regarded as the “rust belt” state, Pennsylvania has a history of asbestos use in mining and manufacturing. Home to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, this was a breeding ground for asbestos exposure incidents. Philadelphia’s shipyard built more than 50 new vessels during World War II and repaired hundreds of other ships. Due to its qualities as fire resistant, durable and flexible, asbestos was the ideal material for homes, buildings, ships and other industrial applications. If you are a potential homebuyer in Philadelphia or are seeking to remodel an older home, there are many things worth considering.

Although asbestos exposure does not always lead to a related disease, when buying or selling a home, consumers should relay questions to their agents regarding building materials that contain asbestos. Due to the potential health effects of exposure to asbestos fibers, it is recommended that homebuyers determine if asbestos containing building materials are present.

The consistent inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause a severe lung-ailment known as malignant mesothelioma. This rare form of asbestos lung cancer accounts for three percent of all cancer diagnoses in the U.S. alone. With an extremely high amount of asbestos incidents through the last century, many mesothelioma lawyer firms began fighting for victims rights. Asbestos manufacturers were clearly aware of the health damaging qualities involved with their product, but chose to cover it up, leaving millions of workers, military personnel and civilians exposed to the material.

A professional home inspection is extremely important in a variety of scenarios. To protect your investment, professional consultants can provide an evaluation of the home. If the asbestos appearing is deemed harmful, the Environmental Protection Agency recommends for asbestos removal in homes, workplaces and public facilities to be performed by licensed abatement contractors, who perform under the strict regulations in regards to the handling of asbestos.

Eco-friendly options must be considered when the removal is complete. The use of recycled building materials as forms of insulation completely replaces the need for asbestos. These alternatives include cotton fiber, cellulose and lcynene. Studies show that these materials can reduce energy costs in the home by up to 35 percent each year. Turning your home asbestos-free is essential for living in a safe environment for you and your family.