Asbestos Testing Kits

2008-01-29 10:46:41

( Business )



Asbestos and its Harmful Effects

Asbestos is a solid mineral characterized by long thin fibrous crystals. It has a heat and flame resistant property that made it popular for use back in the nineteenth century as building material. Asbestos was also used for soundproofing and insulation of homes.

But in recent years, government health authorities have banned the use of asbestos due to discoveries about its harmful effects to human health. Being fibrous, asbestos can crack and break down into powdery form which can be inhaled. Inhalation of asbestos can contribute to lung-related diseases and cancer.

Unfortunately, many buildings and homes were built with asbestos-mixed materials in the past, and there have been no moves to remove them. This is especially true about homes that were built between 1900 to 1978. In some cases, asbestos has also found into water pipes, and is unknowingly used for drinking or washing. Adverse effects of asbestos do not manifest themselves until after fifteen to thirty years after exposure.

Where to Get an Asbestos Testing Kit

To address the asbestos problem, asbestos testing kits have been recently developed to help you trace any signs of asbestos in your home.

You can purchase asbestos test kits easily at your local home depot or through the internet. A typical kit contains protective suit and gloves, sampling bags, and printed instructions. It also has a stamped and addressed envelope where you could enclose the sampling bags to sent out for laboratory testing.

How to Use an Asbestos Testing Kit

You need to put on the suit and gloves before getting a sample. You can use a chisel, knife or any other tool that can extract the asbestos sample. You should wet the sample to prevent it from releasing any harmful fibers that could be inhaled.

You then need to use the bags to contain the samples, and stuff them into the pre-addressed envelope together with payment for the laboratory testing fee, to be mailed to the testing laboratories. Within a matter of days, you will receive the results of the asbestos test either through postal mail or email.

If the results show a positive detection of asbestos, you should correct the problem immediately by calling an expert to remove the asbestos and replace it with non-hazardous material. Many asbestos removal companies can be found in the phonebook yellow pages or on the web.


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