Are we at risk of asbestos exposure? How to get tested?
The house we live in was built in the 50s and a section of the (attached) garage ceiling broke a few months back. This section is now exposed (to attic) and keeps crumbling. We have our house gym in this garage and I am wondering what is our risk of asbestos exposure here. We have not worked out here for several months but have our dryer in the same room so we are occasionally in the room. Are we exposed to asbestos? Can we test the room for presence/levels? How much is enough exposure, can we go back to working out here? and how can we test ourselves if possible. Is this dust going in the house vent?
Thank you in advance for your help.
P.S.Thankfully, we will be moving out in a couple of months.
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3 comments
badhabyt on May 16, 2010 at 2:38 am
You can look in the Yellow Pages (under asbestos or environmental) or at the reference for local consultants. If you want to be sure, an expert needs to look at the situation and take some samples. You can also call local asbestos labs for recommendations. Do not use a removal company, but an independent consultant.
As to your situation, unless you are seeing pipe insulation, there is not likely to be asbestos. On a house that age, asbestos shingle siding is more likely as is asbestos tile and linoleum.
Mikayla on May 16, 2010 at 2:38 am
Just to be safe, avoid that area. For some toxins, you can be tested for it by having your finger nails tested. My old house 6 years ago, had walls breaking and asbestos was in the walls and were exposed. We moved from there and 6 years later my brother got an aggressive cancer called Angiosarcoma. So be careful at all costs and discuss this with your doctor. The thing with asbestos is that even when you are exposed to it, the cancer may not show up until YEARS later. Hope this helped.
AKA Inverse Mushroom Cloud on May 16, 2010 at 2:38 am
I don’t know of any tests on you that they can do. Simply having asbestos there doesn’t mean you have inhaled/ingested it.
Even if you did, this type of cancer typically takes 20 years or more to develop.