Techniques of Asbestos Removal

Asbestos-containing materials can be found in buildings constructed between years 1930-1999. This is because asbestos was widely used for construction during this period. Six naturally occurring fibrous minerals are collectively called asbestos. The asbestos fibers are heat, chemicals, fire, electricity resistant. This made asbestos a good construction material. However, the harmful effects of asbestos fibers on the lungs led to it being abandoned as a construction material. Asbestos-containing materials existing in houses in the form of old roofs, insulating materials, shed, etc. can pose a health risk if disturbed and require removal on certain occasions.

asbestos removal

Types Of Asbestos Containing Materials

Friable asbestos-containing materials can contain almost 100% percent asbestos. Friable ACM can be easily broken by hand to release asbestos fibers into the air. Therefore, if friable ACMs are disturbed they tend to release a lot of asbestos fibers which are inhaled by humans.

Bonded ACMs contain a mix of cement and asbestos. The asbestos content is less than 15%. Bonded ACMs are strong and rigid and cannot be broken and reduced to powder easily. The asbestos is tightly held which prevents them from being released into the air. Badly damaged bonded ACMs can become friable.

Assessing Asbestos Exposure Risk

Professional asbestos removal companies are available for carrying out the process of asbestos removal. However, first of all, the company needs to determine whether there is a need for asbestos removal from the property or not. A professional asbestos survey determines the following.

• Whether or not the asbestos has been damaged causing asbestos fibers to enter the air leading to human exposure.

• Location of the asbestos is also determined. If the asbestos is in a location where it is not likely to be disturbed then in such a case asbestos removal is not required.

Intact asbestos is not harmful since only damaged asbestos can release asbestos fibers in the air. People wanting to renovate their houses or demolish them may require the services of asbestos removal if asbestos-containing materials are detected in the building. Licensed asbestos removal companies are experts at detecting asbestos in the buildings.

How Is Asbestos Removed?

The first step in the asbestos removal process is to quarantine the area. This is done by enclosing the space and using negative air pressure. Negative air pressure prevents airborne particles from getting out of the area. The air quality is also monitored during the process. The presence of asbestos fibers at or more than 0.02 fibers per milliliter of air is considered harmful requiring the asbestos removal process to be terminated.

Wet spray method is a common method of asbestos removal. In this technique, the friable ACM is wetted by a low pressured spray of water. A surfactant such as a detergent is also applied on the ACM to bind water to the asbestos fibers. Wetting ensures that the asbestos fibers are not released when the sections are cut during removal. Respraying is done to keep the ACM in wet condition throughout the process.

Saturation and water injection method is another method of asbestos removal. This technique is adopted when the thickness of the ACM is so much that the wet spray method cannot be used. In this process, water is injected into the ACM directly instead of wetting the surface. Water is injected through injection heads made in the ACM. This technique ensures that the whole thickness of the ACM is wetted adequately for asbestos removal.

asbestos removal 

Disposal

The asbestos containing materials are packed and transported to approved dumping sites. The asbestos removal specialists ensure that the entire area is cleaned thoroughly after the process is complete to remove even small traces of asbestos fibers.