In 1989 asbestos was partially banned in the US because of its carcinogenic nature. However, the federal government didn’t ban the buildings, houses, or any products that were already been made. Moreover, asbestos-containing materials were not removed from the circulation either which is why even to this day abatement services in New York and other locations still find alarmingly high levels of this carcinogen present in drywalls and other household products. 

Various companies are operating to provide asbestos testing services NYC and in other areas, but the point is how you know whether they are doing the right work or not. So, the first question you ask is what does asbestos look like? Well, it is hard to assess the situation with the naked eye to know whether asbestos is present or not. So, you hire services like asbestos inspection NJ or your associated area to know whether you are prone to asbestos contamination or not.

What is asbestos and where does it come from?

If you are one of those people who think asbestos is man-made then you are wrong. It is a natural substance that was used heavily in building materials before 1989 due to its unique binding properties before it was fully banned in 1999. The point of concern is the fibers that are present in this mineral. It was heavily mined in countries like Canada, South Africa, China, and Russia, but now only China and Russia are operating in this sector. It naturally contains asbestos fibers that were once considered a blessing and that is why asbestos was massively used in the construction and shipbuilding sector. 

Recently, various studies put light on the serious problems associated with this substance. It was no later than most of the serious and potentially fatal diseases discovered in the people who were exposed to this substance. This led to the ban on asbestos usage in building materials in the US. However, this material is still present in the buildings that were manufactured before its ban, so it is important that if you are planning the renovation, or planning to move some vintage place then you hire professionals for appropriate asbestos inspection in case something concerning comes up then hire the proper abatement service. In case, you are based in New York then you are in luck as Kac solutions are offering its best abatement services in New York under which you can have all the necessary services that you need to have to make sure that you are in a safe environment. 

Common asbestos construction and building material

It is nearly impossible to enlist almost all the construction and building materials that contain asbestos. However, there are a few ones that are more common than others which we want to share with you. You have to know that asbestos comes in every shape and size, so it is hard to limit how it looks but hopefully, you can have an idea of how you can assess the presence of asbestos after learning about the following products that could have asbestos at your place.

  1. Insulating boards– they have an asbestos content of about 15 to 25%. They are often light or dark grey in color and pose high damage potential because of asbestos contamination. They were manufactured and used from 1880 to 1980.
  2. Pipe lagging– they can have an asbestos content ranging between 6 to 85%. Mostly, they are white, brown, grey, or pink in color with an alarmingly high damage potential. They were manufactured and used between 1880-1970.
  3. Sprayed insulation– they have an asbestos content of around 55 to 85%. They are also white, brown, grey, or pink in color. They were manufactured and used in the era 1880-1974 and pose a threat of potentially high damage.
  4. Gasket– they are entirely made of asbestos and are white in color. As they are entirely made of asbestos so you can guess how great damage they can cause. They were manufactured and used for over a century before their manufacturing was banned in 2000.
  5. Washers– they are made of 90% of asbestos, so they pose a great threat to you if you are living in a place where they are present. They are mostly red, green, or pink in color and were manufactured in the same era as gaskets before their manufacturing was banned in 2000.

So, these are the top 5 things that could be present at your place which can give you an idea of asbestos presence at your place. However, we suggest you have professional services for the safety of you and your family.