Some textured paints manufactured before 1978 contain asbestos. These paints are best left undisturbed if they are not damaged. Painting over these existing paints with an enamel-based paint is the safest and most cost-effective means to encapsulate this paint. Wall and ceiling joints that have been repaired before 1977 may also contain asbestos. If this material is in poor condition, repair is recommended. If the material is in good condition, it is best not to disturb the material in any way.

In many older wood stoves and furnaces and the surrounding area, asbestos products have been installed to protect the surrounding walls and floor. In the insulation of stoves and furnaces, cement sheets, commonly used in conjunction with wood stoves, will not release fibers unless scraped. Often, the cement sheets are coated with a high temperature paint to help with the encapsulation of these fibers. Asbestos containing paper and millboard are also used in this type of application. These two products are more susceptible to erosion and damage. If insulation is crumbling, cracking, or breaking off around or near the stove or furnace, activity in this area should be extremely restricted. The door gaskets in these stoves and furnaces may also contain asbestos and should be handled with the same precautions taken.

Hot water, steam lines and boilers in homes may contain asbestos insulation to prevent heat loss as well as protect other materials in close proximity. These materials can take the form of a block insulation which is usually white and powdery, called caloe. Another type looks like corrugated cardboard and is usually white or gray, and is called air-cell. Some pipes are wrapped with a cloth material or a paper tape that also contains asbestos. Some ductwork has a white tape around its joints that is also asbestos.

If you find any of these types of asbestos containing products in your home, attic, crawlspace, or a pipe chase, the best course of action is to leave them alone. If you have areas that are damaged or that are being subject to vibrations and/or wind erosion, confer with a licensed asbestos consultant for the best course of action.

Occasionally, asbestos-insulation will have been manufactured directly into the plaster that has been used in the manufacturing of your home's walls and ceilings. Home repairs and renovations will, to some degree, disturb this material. A licensed asbestos contractor should be consulted on how to work around this problem.

Some older household appliances such as refrigerators, popcorn poppers, ovens, dishwashers, furnaces, gas and oil heaters, toasters, clothes-dryers, ranges, slow-cookers, and electric-blankets contain asbestos products. Traditional use of these appliances should not result in the release of asbestos fibers, nor do they pose a significant threat to human health. However, certain older hair-dryers do contain a heat-shield that releases asbestos-fibers during use. These dryers were recalled in 1979, but it is possible that there are some still in circulation. Current hair-dryers do not contain these heat shields. A qualified appliance technician should be consulted if repairs to the appliance are necessary.

Siding and roofing shingles made with asbestos cement on your house are usually on the outside and pose little danger. If your roof needs replacing, the most economic and safe way to handle these shingles is to simply cover them with the new shingles. Asbestos siding shingles are usually made of a solid board commonly called transite. If you are having new siding put on your house, then simply covering the existing asbestos siding with your new siding is safest and most cost-effective. If these siding shingles are already damaged, then enamel based paint may be used as an encapsulant to help prevent additional fiber release.

AHERA INSPECTORS AND ASBESTOS REMOVAL CONTRACTORS

One way to determine if your house has asbestos is to call the manufacturer with the model number of the product in question. Other contractors such as plumbers, HVAC contractors, roofing and general contractors may be able to make an educated guess by visually inspecting the material. The best way to know exactly what your does or does not contain is to have an AHERA certified building inspector come to your house and sample the material in question.

AHERA certified inspectors are the only inspectors who can legally sample your building materials and make a proper determination. A person becomes an accredited inspector by attending a training course, passing the accompanying exam, and submitting an application to DEHNR,s Asbestos Hazard Management Program. Asbestos building inspectors are taught according to AHERA standards and are licensed by their respective states. These individuals can determine how much asbestos is in your home and the best course of action.

Asbestos removal contractors can also give advice on how to regulate asbestos in your home. If you decide to remove the asbestos in your home, then several bids and opinions are recommended. Contractors are required by DEHNR to permit all jobs exceeding 35 ft3, 160 ft2, or 260 linear feet. If you decide to remove a portion of the asbestos in your home that is smaller than the amount required for a permit, ask the contractor to submit a courtesy permit. This permit cost nothing but it still lets the regulating agency (DEHNR) know where and when the contractor is working.