what is the most cost efficient way to remove asbestos, and how do you know if it is in your house?
Answers:
How do you know? One takes a small samples and sends it to a lab. I use NVL in Settle. About $30/sample. They look at it under a polarizing microscope and report back the percentages of the different types of asbestos fibers presents. >1% and it counts as "asbestos containing material" (ACM) and then, well, you're hosed. General contractors can deal with small quantities, 100 square feet, I think.
But for areas of any significant size, you are supposed to use and the contractor is supposed to be a trained and approved asbestos abatement contractor. They know how to seal off the work area, wear the proper breathnig protection, and contain the waste material and where to dispose of it. All of that costs more and those costs fall to you, alas.
Almost all the time, the cheapest way to eliminate the hazard is to encapsulate the asbestos in place. That might be done with 10-mil polyethylene sheeting, a false wall, or a good coat of paint. Something durable that prevents friable asbestos fibers from getting airborne. The presence of asbestos is not a hazard. Only if friable asbestos has a pathway to ones breathing air. Make it non-friable or eliminate the pathway, and the hazard is eliminated.
Training costs a few thousand per person so it might be hard to come out ahead on one job.
The general ideas being taught in the training are:
Inspect, inventory and submit for testing any suspect ACM.
Leave intact ACM in place, generally.
Remove or encapsulate friable ACM on a case-by-case basis.
Handle the debris carefully, wrap, ship and dispose of it properly.
Contain the mess (fibers!) during work to the immediate area. Don't let them spread and contaminate other areas.
Document what you do so you can prove it doesn't have to be done again.
As others have said, ignoring it is cheaper than dealing with it. However, dealing with it properly can eliminate the risk to the residents (your family?) and reduce the legal liability of knowingly exposing someone else. In between those
extremes, you can improve the situation while spending less money in a couple of ways. The biggest being that accepting encapsulation is usually much cheaper than insisting on removal
Other answers:
You need to ask a professional and not mess with this yourself.
You need to ask a professional and not mess with this yourself.
ZYou will have to have a small piece tested. It will have to be removed by a professional as this is hazardus waste
the only way asbestos can hurt you is to work with by cutting or breathing the dust.
In the United States you have to call a federally certified removal team...can you say buck$$$?
I wouldn't tell anyone about it.
I figure the best way is to treat it as a toxic waste and get the same kind of suits the professionals do with thier own air supplies.
Might be cheaper to quietly sell the house and say nothing of it.
George A.