Asbestos is a material that was often used in building construction and insulation back in the day. Once it became linked to various health risks, the material was no longer used. However, it can still be found in older buildings. If you need asbestos removal in San Francisco, there is no better company to handle asbestos removal than Central Valley Environmental.
What Exactly is Asbestos?
Asbestos is actually a naturally occurring mineral fiber. The fiber was used to help strengthen a variety of products and to make those products more resistant against fire. Asbestos is odorless and tasteless and can only be identified via testing in a laboratory since visual examination is impossible. The following are a few of the products that asbestos was commonly used in:
- Roofing and siding
- Insulation that was installed in homes between 1930 and 1950
- Textured paint and wall patching
- Old vinyl floor tiles as well as the backing on old vinyl sheet flooring
- The blanket or tape used for older hot water and steam pipes
- The gasket insulation on older oil and coal furnaces
The use of asbestos was banned in 2003, although many older homes still have asbestos products present in their construction.
The Health Risks of Asbestos
Asbestos isn’t dangerous until it breaks apart. This causes asbestos fibers to become airborne. If a person inhales or swallows asbestos fibers, they can become lodged in the abdomen or lungs, where they will often stay and cause problems to develop as the body has trouble expelling the fibers.
The health issues caused by asbestos can take decades to develop but can be extremely serious. For example, both lung cancer and mesothelioma, a form of cancer, have been linked to asbestos exposure.
As you can see, asbestos can be a real health risk if it’s present in your home. If you think that your home may have used asbestos products in its construction, then you should consider contacting a company that provides asbestos removal in San Francisco by calling Central Valley Environmental today at (707) 584-1900.