Unfortunately, the mineral has one less-desirable quality – its ability to shatter into microscopic fibers. When asbestos fibers are disturbed or damaged, they can become airborne. Once airborne, these fibers can be inhaled and become permanently lodged in your respiratory airways and lung tissue. Continuous exposure to these fibers results in buildup in your lungs, which increases your risk for asbestos-related diseases.

In the past century, there have been tens of thousands of chronic respiratory conditions that can be traced directly to prolonged asbestos exposure. Approximately 12,000 people in the U.S. die each year from mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer and several other asbestos-related illnesses.

A common misconception about asbestos is that due to its potentially hazardous effects, it is entirely banned in the U.S. While it is true that in 1989, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency outlawed asbestos in the U.S. due to its harmful qualities, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned that ban in 1991. The mineral is still used today in a variety of products, including residential roofing, floor and ceiling tiles, and pipe wrap.

To the untrained eye, it is difficult to tell if a material contains asbestos just by looking at it. Regardless of when your home, apartment or office was built, there is still a possibility it could have asbestos-containing materials.

Since asbestos can still be used in construction products in the U.S., the only way to know for sure whether a material contains asbestos is to have it tested by a laboratory. If you are planning to remove a wall, ceiling or floor, you should have the material tested for asbestos. Call Asbestos Abatement Inc. at 303-794-4450 today to schedule testing or abatement services and to keep your lungs asbestos free.

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Once broken and airborne, asbestos fibers can be inhaled by residents, employees, first responders, cleanup workers and more. This type of exposure can ultimately lead to asbestosis or mesothelioma cancer, so there are great reasons to act cautiously and wisely during and after a fire.

During a Fire

The danger of asbestos exposure begins during the fire. Smoke from house and building fires is always dangerous because it contains a mix of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, water vapor, fine particulate matter, hydrocarbons and non-organic and organic substances. However, inhaling smoke is especially harmful when it contains burned asbestos fibers.

To reduce your chances of asbestos exposure, keep at least 1,000 feet clear of burning debris. If possible, put on protective clothing and gear as quickly as possible.

Fire Aftermath

Once the fire has been put out, the residue of ashes and half-burned materials is removed by cleanup crews. To ensure safety, potential asbestos sites should be examined before any crews begin their work. The only way to know for sure is to have it tested by experts.

Roofing materials, ceiling tiles, insulation, asphalt and flooring are some of the areas of buildings most likely to contain asbestos.

Get Help from Fire Damage Asbestos Removal Experts

After a fire, you need a quick response from abatement experts that can identify and remove any potential threats posed to your health by damaged asbestos. Asbestos Abatement Inc., the premier Denver asbestos removal contractor, is your best bet for a swift and safe recovery from fire.

Call 303-794-4450 or contact us today to arrange testing or abatement services right away!

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No longer do teachers have to write up a work order, get approval, and get help from a facility specialist just to hang a picture on asbestos-laden walls.

Thanks to money from a Building Excellent Schools Today grant, officials in the District 6 school system were finally able to make asbestos abatement a priority in 2015. It was one of the biggest projects involving asbestos removal in Northern Colorado in recent times and it helped make hundreds of students and faculties members safer.

Why Asbestos?

You may be wondering why schools and similar buildings where safety should be a top priority would contain so much of a potentially dangerous substance. It may be hard to believe now with all we know, but asbestos was once thought to be a godsend for safety-conscious builders.

100 years ago, the Greeley Tribune praised asbestos as a “safety-first mineral.” Comments like this were common because of the substance’s ability to help protect against fire. Unfortunately, in the 1970s it was discovered that asbestos exposure could produce deadly side effects in certain situations. Today,

Wayne Eads, District 6 chief operations officer, took the threat very seriously. During the project, he told reporters, “Now that we know asbestos can pose a hazard if it becomes loosened, it’s in our interest to remove it from school buildings as soon as we can, whenever we can afford it, as soon as we can afford it.”

Schools aren’t the only asbestos danger zones. A list of potential target zones for large-scale asbestos removal in Fort Collins and the rest of Northern Colorado would have to at least include:

• Apartment buildings
• Construction sites
• Industrial boilers

Asbestos is also commonly found in numerous areas throughout individual homes, including

• Vermiculite ore insulation
• Popcorn ceilings
• Tile flooring

To ensure you are safe from these threats, asbestos testing is highly recommended. Even newer homes and buildings can sometimes pose risks.

Asbestos removal in Fort Collins Colorado should only be handled by licensed professionals that have met OSHA training requirements and achieved Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act certification.

To ensure that your property is safe from the threat of asbestos, contact Asbestos Abatement Inc., Northern Colorado’s premier asbestos removal contractor, right away!

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Because of its popularity as a building material, asbestos is a major hazard for people in the construction industry. It’s often found during the process of remodeling, demolishing or renovating older structures.

Here are some of common building areas and materials most likely to be the source of trouble in asbestos construction sites in Colorado:

– Fire resistant drywall
– Acoustical products
– Pipe insulation
– Cement pipe and sheet
– Tile floors
– Sprayed-on fireproofing
– Drywall joint compounds
– Roofing felts and shingles
– Ceiling tiles

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration, or OSHA, is responsible for regulating asbestos construction sites. This includes the following scenarios:

– The demolition or salvaging of buildings and homes that have asbestos
– Getting rid of or encapsulating ACM (asbestos-containing material)
– Building, altering, fixing, maintaining or remodeling structures or substrates that contain asbestos
– Sanitizing an asbestos spill during emergencies
– Installation of products that contain asbestos
– Moving, storing, disposing, containing or cleaning a property that has asbestos or products that contain asbestos.

Worker Safety in Asbestos Construction Sites in Colorado

The safety of workers should always be a top priority. We recently spoke with a representative from a personal injury lawyer in Minneapolis about construction worker safety. He told us, “Employers should assess and monitor conditions to ensure workers aren’t improperly exposed to toxic substances in asbestos construction sites. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case.”

Sometimes, construction workers are exposed to asbestos while on the job and lack the proper knowledge equipment or training to handle these asbestos-containing materials safely. In these situations, employers can find themselves liable for endangering workers.

Asbestos Removal in Colorado

As the largest contractor dealing in asbestos removal in Denver and throughout the surrounding areas in Colorado, Asbestos Abatement Inc. is highly qualified to handle big jobs involving construction sites, apartment complexes, schools, and similar facilities.

To work with a with an AHERA licensed contractor with an A+ rating with the better business bureau, call us at 303-794-4450 today!

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Because of its effectiveness as a fire retardant and sound barrier, asbestos has been very popular material chosen for boiler and boiler room insulation. Thanks to its widespread use, many properties now need Denver boiler removal or else risk dealing with the health hazards that result from asbestos contamination.

Asbestos can be found within boilers, boiler rooms and equipment associated with boilers. It may be found lurking inside of flange gaskets, pipe insulation, firebrick, furnaces, inspection cover gaskets, spray on fireproofing used for walls and ceilings, or insulation placed between skin and tubes.

If you have a boiler, it’s fairly likely that it contains asbestos or asbestos was used during the installation and construction process. In the past, builders didn’t know how dangerous asbestos could be to human health. Today we fully understand that prolonged exposure can cause deadly cancers and respiratory diseases.

Do You Require Denver Boiler Removal?

The Environmental Protection Agency recommends not disturbing or removing asbestos unless it has been damaged or requires renovation. To ensure the dangerous fibers are protected from future harm, it is required that all asbestos-containing materials are identified, marked and sealed.

If damage has occurred or any new construction is planned for an area containing asbestos, you need to find certified professionals who perform boiler removal in Denver. The removal process is too dangerous to trust to untrained and unqualified staff.

Corporate Mechanical, an HVAC repair company in Minneapolis, recently blogged about the dangers of neglecting heating systems in homes, and the same advice applies to commercial and industrial furnaces. If you ignore it, a serious problem like asbestos could go unnoticed.

Contact the Experts

Asbestos Abatement Inc is the largest asbestos boiler removal contractor in Colorado. We’re highly experienced with Denver boiler removal services. If your property is facing a threat from confirmed or potential asbestos contamination, call 303-794-4450 or contact us for inspection and removal solutions today!

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It is still legal to import asbestos, and it can still be used in common applications like drywall mud, floor tile, floor glue, and various types of insulation. Even today, various industries continue to find uses for this potential hazard because it is fire retardant and super strong.

Check out our Quick Guide to Asbestos video for more of the basic facts you need to know:

In 1973, asbestos products were banned from being used for certain applications. Then there was the Asbestos Ban and Phase Out Rule that was introduced by the EPA in 1989. This would have banned the substance completely, but, in 1991, the ban was challenged and overturned by a landmark lawsuit known as Corrosion Proof Fittings v. The EPA. The case did result to tougher regulations on asbestos, but it didn’t call for a total ban.

Today, the asbestos-containing products that are banned include:

• Specialty paper
• Commercial paper
• Corrugated paper
• Rollboard
• Flooring felt
• Any new uses of asbestos

The halting of use of asbestos in new products and applications helped to limit production. However, there are still asbestos-containing products out there on the market that still can cause harm.

You cannot identify asbestos simply by looking at it. To find out whether insulation, floor glue, or other materials around your property contain a threat, you need to have it tested by a certified lab.

If you are planning a renovation, or if you have experienced a fire or flood, it is especially important to find out for sure that your property is free of this hazardous substance. To learn more about our Denver asbestos removal services, call Asbestos Abatement today at (303) 794-4450.

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If you have yet to have your roof inspected, it’s time to do so.

What Roof Materials Have Asbestos?

Since a lot of the older model roofs typically contained asbestos fibers, it’s especially important to get an inspection if your roof was installed before the 1980s. While the use of asbestos in roofing materials has dropped substantially since then, it is still all too common. If you fear that you have an asbestos contamination on your hands, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Here is a list of the commercial roof materials that are most likely to contain asbestos:

• Shingles
• Flashing
• Felts
• Sealants
• Mastics
• Decking
• Coatings
• Adhesives
• Vapor retardants
• Underlayment

How to Find Out if Your Roof Has Asbestos

According to an experienced contractor at Erotas Building Corp, a MN luxury home builder, there is only one way to know for sure whether your commercial roof has asbestos: “You should have your property tested by professionals. An inspector can take samples of the asbestos and have it tested in a lab.” Another Minneapolis roofing contractor we spoke with added: “Once you determine that you have asbestos, your top priority should be to find licensed asbestos removal professionals with a strong track record on commercial projects.”

After your property has been cleared by an inspector, or after asbestos abatement professionals have removed the threat, it will be safe to proceed with any roof remodeling or installation projects you had planned. That’s the smart way to do your commercial roofing in Denver.

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A home remodeler specializing in basement finishing in Denver says before you go scraping away at the ceiling to redo it or paint over it, you should first have it tested for asbestos. “When we discover potential mold, lead, or asbestos threats in the properties we work on, we always recommend calling in a professional for testing. Not doing so would put you and your family at risk of breathing in dangerous carcinogens or health hazards.”

When to Test Popcorn Ceilings for Asbestos

Even minor damage and decay from aging can cause a contaminated ceiling to release asbestos. Because a slight disturbance can produce terrible results, it’s important to arrange professional testing before attempting to remove the problem through a DIY remodeling project.

If you notice dents, tears or abrasions in an area suspected of containing asbestos, seal off the room and don’t let anyone in until an expert has come to perform testing.

Never Take this Threat Lightly

When damage occurs, toxic fibers are released into the air. If you breathe them in and they become lodged in your lungs, you could experience a range of severe health concerns. Symptoms sometimes don’t appear until 20 to 30 years after being exposed to asbestos for the first time, but the effects are undoubtedly serious.

Take it from Central Roofing, a commercial roofing company, “If your home has any popcorn ceilings, you should consider them a potential health threat. Act as soon as possible to ensure your family’s safety.”

Asbestos Abatement can help you with all of your Denver asbestos removal needs.

Contact us today to arrange third-party testing and efficient removal of the dangers posed by popcorn ceilings.

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Roughly 80 percent of the vermiculite used in US homes before 1990 was produced by a mine outside of Libby, MT. In 1990, when it was discovered that this mine was heavily contaminated with asbestos, builders began to look elsewhere for vermiculite supply.

Recognizing Vermiculite

There are different types of insulation that can be used for homes — vermiculite happens to be loose filled insulation that is mixed with small grade gravel nuggets. It has a texture that is soft and squeezable, similar to popcorn. It typically has different colors mixed together, like silver, dark brown, gold, light brown and gray.

What to Do if You Have Old Vermiculite

If you have vermiculite in your home that was installed prior to 1990, you should treat it as you would asbestos. It’s a good idea to have it tested to be sure you know what you’re dealing with.

If you find that your insulation does pose a threat, your next step should be to fully eradicate the problem with professional asbestos removal in Denver. Asbestos not only threatens the health of your family, but it also may significantly lower the value of your property.

The safest and financially smartest decision is to hire licensed Denver asbestos removal professionals.

Asbestos Abatement, Inc. is here to help you remove threats from vermiculite, artificial embers for gas fireplaces, boiler insulation, and other common dangers around the home. Contact us at 303-794-4450 today for peace of mind.

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To ensure you can avoid potential health risks of asbestos or lead exposure, here are some basic facts you should keep in mind as a home buyer.

Asbestos Facts

• Asbestos is a fibrous inorganic material that is commonly found in the insulation used around boilers and pipes, some plasters and floor tile.
• Asbestos can be dangerous to your health when it is in poor condition, such as in older model homes. It is carcinogenic and can lead to lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma.

Lead Facts

• Lead can be found in lead-based paint as well as certain water pipes. Young children are the most at-risk when it comes to lead poisoning because they sometimes unknowingly put bits of flaking paint in their mouths. Even just breathing in dust from the paint can be harmful to children.
• It is required that the seller tell you about any paint in the home that’s known to be lead-based. You should also be given 10 days to complete risk assessments or inspections that will determine the presence of lead-based paint. If the home is built before 1978, the seller is required to give you a pamphlet about EPA-approved lead hazard abatement, according to federal regulations.

Remove the Problem

If home inspections reveal the presence of either of these hazardous substances, don’t worry, there is a solution to the problem. Denver asbestos removal services from Asbestos Abatement Inc. have successfully cleared asbestos threats from many residential and commercial properties. We also are a trusted provider of lead removal in Denver.

For any threats facing your current or future home, call 303-794-4450 for a fast and safe solution!

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