The real estate industry goes through highs and lows. Vigilante individuals and businesses can always find the diamond in the rough, whether the market is experiencing a high or low. However, the diamond in the rough sometimes needs some work. While there’s nothing wrong with investing in construction to make your latest real estate purchase shine, you do need to watch out for problems like asbestos. Keep reading to learn how to identify asbestos during construction.
Asbestos Is Hard To Detect
When we think of recognizing something potentially dangerous, we start with our senses. We often ask ourselves, “What does the dangerous thing look, sound, or smell like?” Unfortunately, asbestos isn’t easy to identify. It can look fibrous and come in various colors. Sometimes, pieces can float in the air and become virtually undetectable.
This means you may not know whether you or any of your construction workers have encountered asbestos. To protect yourself and others, you’ll need to test materials within your site and watch for signs of asbestos in common locations.
Testing for Asbestos
Since asbestos isn’t always obvious at a glance, most people send suspicious samples away for testing. This occurs in a professional lab that can confirm or deny whether the material is asbestos. Some professionals carry personal on-the-go test kits, but lab testing is the most accurate.
If you or your construction workers notice fluffy fibers or asbestos ore in shades of white, green, brown, or blue, you should seal up the site. Put on protective equipment and gather a sample in a sealed container to send to a lab.
Common Asbestos Locations
You and everyone else at the construction site should know where asbestos commonly hides in structures, especially those that originate before the 1980s. You’ll often find it in insulation, such as around steam pipes or in attic spaces. Some vinyl floors and textured paint, such as the paint on popcorn ceilings, also contain asbestos. Furthermore, it’s common in both residential and commercial structures, so don’t assume that the type of structure you’re working on protects you. Learn the difference between asbestos abatement and remediation, then use that knowledge to fix any asbestos you discover.
Knowing how to identify asbestos during construction, how to gather a sample for testing, and where you might discover it is necessary for anyone in the real estate business. While many real estate properties may not contain asbestos, it’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to this cancer-causing material.
