Asbestos Demolition- Help

11 years ago

Hi. Hoping there's a professional that comes across this that can validate (or invalidate) my anxiety about asbestos:

Our house was built in the 1930s. Outer siding is vinyl but underneath is most likely cement asbestos siding.

Hubby and I have done many renovations. Most recently we ripped down and expanded an upstairs bedroom which required use of power tools to cut through and remove the old outer walls of the bedroom (which meant cutting through the siding). Hubby isn't too concerned but I'm now losing sleep and have extreme anxiety over this as this siding definitely became friable and into the air. Our 2 year old plays outside all the time and there has to be dust from the demolition out there. I've also swept up dust from the project that got into our upstairs hallway. I've read stories of people diagnosed with mesothelioma from home renovation one time exposures. Apparently duration of exposure doesn't really matter. One time can make you sick down the line.

Would it help at this point (a month after renovation) to have our inside and outside air tested or would it be undetectable now that time has passed?

Freaking out to the point I can't function.

Featured Answer

toxcrusadr

11 years ago

It was a bad idea to cut that siding dry with no dust control. But, speaking as an env. specialist involved in haz waste remediation (including asbestos), the actual risk here is not worth stressing out to that level.

Unless you can see info stamped on the siding itself to identify it, you cannot assume it contains asbestos just by age or appearance. Other fibers were used for reinforcement. I agree with renovator8, find out if the siding is ACM in the first place and go from there.

As for whether it's relevant to test the air now, you asked us that in your first post, but it seems you already have your mind made up that the dust will have 'settled'. Inside the house: not necessarily. Unless carpet and other fibrous materials were covered and the area was cleaned with a HEPA vacuum afterwards, fine dust (and the asbestos fibers that matter are VERY fine) can float around a long time or be trapped in carpet, etc. and re-released. But again, it's still cheaper to test the siding first and go from there.

Someone asked whether the dust inside was actually from the siding or other stages of the work...?

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Comments (8)

User
11 years ago
Testing the siding is cheap and easy but testing the air is not. Find a testing lab and get the siding tested first then the air.
amandarogers6050
Original Author
11 years ago
Renovator8- thanks but does it even make sense to test the siding and air at this point? It's been a month since the demolition so I'm thinking any dust would've already settled. We will not be doing any more renovations that involve the siding so future exposure is not the concern. I'm just nervous about this recent exposure.
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greg_2015
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
I guess it's a question of how much your peace of mind is worth. If you're freaking out to the point that you can't function, then getting a cheap test of your siding might set all your worries aside if it comes back negative.
If it comes back positive, then the more expensive test of your interior air might at least put your mind at ease that whatever might have existed is no longer there (if it comes back negative). You'll never know for sure that you guys were never exposed to it, but at least you know that you are no longer being exposed to it.
If the air is positive, then getting your interior properly cleaned would be a good thing.
energy_rater_la
11 years ago
asbestos siding has asbestos..no sense testing it.
since the work was done outside...it was mixed with
enough air dilute it.

as for what got into the house..is it dust from
the siding...or sawdust &/or sheetrock dust?

it takes a lot of exposure to get mesothwhatever.

clean up what you see & move on.
don't stress.

best of luck.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
11 years ago
Although there is no safe level of asbestos exposure, everyone is exposed to some degree, like it or not. Protection and care must be based on science, not emotion.
acroteria
11 years ago
I don't think there is any conclusive evidence to show incidental exposure to asbestos is any more hazardous than incidental exposure to fiberglass batt or vermiculite insulation. More people are impacted by off-gassing of formaldehyde but no one takes notice of plywood, engineered flooring, kitchen cabinets, carpeting, furniture, etc.
HU-464286693
4 years ago
most vermiculite contains asbestos.