Asbestos was used in many products in vehicles and construction materials. Bonded asbestos in the form of AC sheeting, fibro, and asbestos cement is commonly used in houses. On the other hand, friable asbestos is commonly used in industrial and commercial establishments for insulation, fire-proofing, and sound-proofing.
Unfortunately, it was found out that asbestos can be dangerous to human health. It contains fibres that cause health conditions that are life-threatening when inhaled. Due to this, the import, sale, and use of asbestos was completely banned in Australia in 2003.
Aside from the total ban, the NSW government also takes the removal and disposal of asbestos seriously. As of the present, the NSW regulation only allows house owners to remove and dispose of asbestos from their houses if the material is less than 10m². So, if your house has more than 10m² of asbestos and you want it removed, consider doing the following.
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Have your House Inspected Experts
If you suspect that your house has asbestos, have it tested and inspected experts. This will help you determine if there is asbestos to remove and dispose of properly. Also, the inspection will allow you to know the amount of asbestos present. You can use this information to decide whether to remove the asbestos yourself or hire a professional removalist.
Hire a Professional Removalist
As soon as the presence of asbestos in your house is confirmed, have this removed immediately. For best results, hire a professional removalist to do the job. Although this might cause you to incur an additional expense, doing such is definitely the best move. This is because hiring a professional removalist saves you from asbestos exposure which is quite risky.
Aside from that, hiring a professional removalist is expected to provide the best results. These removalists are trained to locate and remove the asbestos in your house. They are also proficient in handling the proper asbestos disposal. Thus, you only need to look for the best removalist in the area and let them handle the job for you.
Inform the Neighbors
Before starting the removal of asbestos from your house, make sure to inform your neighbors about the project in writing. It is highly recommended that you send the said notice to the owners of the opposite and adjoining premises. The notice should also include the information about the date and time when the asbestos removal would be conducted, name of the licensed removalist, and your contact information.
Informing your neighbors about the removal will not only keep them informed but also prepared for the possible effects of the project to their daily activities. Furthermore, this will help them to become more cautious and avoid possible asbestos exposure.
Prepare the Area
Although the licensed removalist you hired will be in charge of handling the project, you still need to participate in preparation. For best results, you should clear the area that the removalists will use when they do the job. Make sure to remove all the objects in the area that might limit or hinder the movement of the contractors. See to it that the doors leading to and from the area are accessible.
Aside from preparing the area inside the house, it is also important to make sure that the contractor’s vehicle has parking spots and is parked well. This is because they need their vehicles to be strategically positioned. This will help them load and unload the equipment needed for the job. Also, this will allow them to load the removed asbestos into their vehicle for proper disposal.
Vacate the House
Vacating your house while the asbestos removal is in progress is a good move. Doing this prevents you from being exposed to asbestos and the harmful effects that the exposure might cause. This move also allows the contractor to proceed with the procedures involved without having to worry about you or the other household members.
To come up with a more appropriate plan for vacating the house, try to talk to your removalist and ask for a detailed work timeline. Doing this will help you determine the project’s completion. You can use the information to decide on how long you are going to stay away from the house. In the event that the work will last for a few days, it is best that you book a hotel where you can stay until it’s safe to come back home.
Asbestos removal and disposal are two things that should not be taken lightly. Regardless of the amount of asbestos involved, both of these should be accomplished according to the existing regulation governing them. Not only that, the tasks should only be handled professional and licensed removalists. This is because improper handling of the substance can lead to asbestos exposure which is considered a serious health hazard.
So, if your house was built in the year 1980 to 2000 and you suspect it has asbestos, have it immediately checked the experts. Then hire the best removalist in the area to remove the hazardous material removed from your home.
