Asbestos Abatement - We Do That

11/17/2020 (Permalink)

Asbestos is a word that brings a great deal of weight to it. Because of the significant health hazards associated with long and regular exposure to the materials, you may even have seen ads about it before, advising the public to search for asbestos inside their homes. The prime concern is mesothelioma. It is defined as a tissue tumor that lines the lengths, stomach, and heart. It is a really serious concern and it is important to know how to search for asbestos.

Asbestos production originally started as a common building material in the early 20th century. It can be used in all kinds of things, including gaskets, sealants for roofing, wall panels, ceiling panels, and more. Because of its natural fire retardant, sound absorbent, and insulating properties, it was well used in all kinds of stuff. It was possible to find asbestos in just about every household in the 1980s until it was discovered that repeated exposure could cause severe health risks.

It was noticed that they would be trapped in major organs when asbestos particles found their way into our bodies, clogging them up and sometimes creating very damaging tumors. Such small fibers could forever get trapped inside these organs, irritating healthy cells before health problems such as mesothelioma arise.

Exposure to asbestos in the restoration and mitigation industry is a very real danger that can be faced by our manufacturing staff as we go about our tasks. Breaking down drywall, opening up air vents, tearing plumbing apart and then repairing it. We do not do our due diligence to keep ourselves, the workers, or you, the property owner, safe if not properly checked. Especially in our sector, safety is always a top priority, and our role is primarily to ensure that our clients are safe and secure from the initial call to years after a job is completed. This is why we give you the details, as the first protection against any mishap is information and understanding.

Common Building Materials Containing Asbestos

As follows, but not limited to:

• Resilient Floor Tiles (specifically vinyl sheet flooring and other adhesive tiles
• Soundproofing or decorative material (i.e. popcorn ceilings)
• Patching and joint compound for walls and ceilings
• Textured paints
• Asbestos cement roofing, shingles, and siding

Before we begin any demolition job, our team conducts asbestos testing as a commonplace procedure, as it is critical for the safety of everyone concerned. In the event of positive outcomes, we use a third party Industrial Hygienist to conduct sample testing and compile a protocol for abatement (a term widely used to describe the reduction of something).

In the past, we subcontracted to third party suppliers with external asbestos abatement services needed. Since 2018, however, our internal teams have completed the preparation, testing, and qualification procedures needed to conduct in-house asbestos abatement so that we can get faster on the demo stage and enrich our teams with better expertise in the process.

Example

We (Team Wall) completed an Asbestos Abatement in West Virginia at a large-scale senior living facility in late 2020. Two of the four units sustained substantial fire damage and were in desperate need of a rapid demo and mitigation so that we could get to the restoration stage and get those unfortunate tenants back into their homes as quickly as possible. A kitchen fire had escalated into the attic space of a four-unit townhome. Fortunately, because of our certifications, we were able to get things done quicker because of our opportunity to do this at home, where it could take additional days or even weeks for most businesses to get the O.K. To commence demolition.

It's also a positive thing we've done. We found that the mastic below the tiles as well as the joint compounds used in the initial construction of the house were positive for asbestos when the asbestos test came back. Our team was equipped to complete a full-scale asbestos reduction in order to decontaminate the units and begin demoing, with the eventual goal of replacing the whole unit with all new materials in mind.

At the time of writing this a week ago, our team obtained clearance and are now finishing reconstruction services, while some other businesses might now have just been on the demolition facts. We replaced the windows on the outside, the siding, and the entire roof. All new ductwork, electrical wiring, plumbing insulation, all new kitchen cabinets, countertops, appliances, drywall, flooring, trim, were built on the inside and completed with a fresh coat of paint through ALL the affected units. We are truly a one-stop-shop.

We did that

SERVPRO isn't just a water and fire prevention business. People think we're going in, scraping some soot off a wall and leaving, but we're so much more than that, as you can see, and our operations extend far and wide. If your house, presumably, has been affected by something, send us a call. You're in the right place, and you're in safe hands if you need a squad that can be-all-do-all.

SERVPRO Disaster Recovery Team – Team Wall