Ten Things to Know about Mold

1.      Potential health effects and symptoms associated with mold exposures include allergic reactions, asthma, and other respiratory complaints. Pregnant women, young children & the elderly are at higher risk.

2.      There is no practical way to eliminate all mould and mould spores in the indoor environment; the way to control indoor mould growth is to control moisture.

3.      If mould is a problem in a home, you must clean up the mould and eliminate sources of moisture.

4.      Fix the source of the water problem or leak to prevent mould growth.

5.      Reduce indoor humidity (to 30-60%) to decrease mould growth by:

a.       venting bathrooms, dryers, and other moisture-generating sources to the outside;

b.      using air conditioners and de-humidifiers;

c.       increasing ventilation;

d.      and using exhaust fans whenever cooking, dishwashing, and cleaning.

6.      Clean and dry any damp or wet building materials and furnishings within 24-48 hours to prevent mould growth.

7.      If found in small amounts, clean mould off hard surfaces with water and detergent, and dry completely. Absorbent materials such as ceiling tiles, that contain are mould, may need to be replaced.

8.      Prevent condensation: Reduce the potential for condensation on cold surfaces (i.e., windows, piping, exterior walls, roof, or floors) by adding insulation.

9.      In areas where there is a perpetual moisture problem, do not install carpeting (i.e., next to bathtubs, by sinks, or on concrete floors with leaks or frequent condensation).

10.  Moulds can be found almost anywhere; they can grow on virtually any substance, providing moisture is present. There are molds that can grow on wood, paper, carpet, and foods.

              

If extensive mould is discovered it is recommended that a professional Certified Mould remediation company be contacted to perform the clean up. 

Click here to learn more from a Certified Mould Remediation company: http://www.Mouldoff.com

Asbestos - Friable Vs. Non-Friable

Asbestos was a popular ingredient in building materials for many years because of its indestructibility, insulating properties, tensile strength and low electrical conductivity. It is still used today, but a distinction is made between more and less dangerous Asbestos-Containing Material (ACM). More dangerous ACM can release asbestos fibers into the air where they can be inhaled and cause illness. Less dangerous ACM generally coats or encapsulates the asbestos fibers with cement, plastics, or asphalt so that they are not easily released into the air. The more dangerous ACMs have been banned or voluntarily replaced to a large degree, while some of the less dangerous ones remain in use.

Friable Asbestos-Containing Materials are defined as those materials containing more than 1% asbestos which could be crumbled, pulverized or reduced to powder by hand pressure when dry.

Non-friable Asbestos-Containing Materials are generally regarded to be a less dangerous form of ACM, not very likely to release asbestos fibers into the air. A non-friable ACM is a material containing more than 1% asbestos but not able to be crumbled, pulverized or reduced to powder by hand pressure when dry. Non-Friable ACM are much more durable because they are held together by a binder such as cement, vinyl or asphalt etc...

The terms "friable" and "non-friable" are not necessarily meant to pertain to a particular material for its entire lifetime. Some materials will always be friable by their nature, particularly the lightweight uncapsulated ACM once used for insulation. Non-friable ACM can become friable if it is damaged or worn enough.  Cutting or grinding or sanding a non-friable material like asbestos-containing cement, as the homeowner might do during renovation, for instance, would create large amounts of dust which might contain significant amounts of asbestos fibers which had been freed from their binding material by the pressure exerted by power tools. 

 

Common Asbestos Building  Materials

• STEAM PIPES, BOILERS, and FURNACE DUCTS insulated with an asbestos blanket or asbestos paper tape. These materials may release asbestos fibers if damaged, repaired, or removed improperly.
• RESILIENT FLOOR TILES (vinyl asbestos, asphalt, and rubber), the backing on VINYL SHEET FLOORING, and ADHESIVES used for installing floor tile. Sanding tiles can release fibers. So may scraping or sanding the backing of sheet flooring during removal.
• CEMENT SHEET, MILLBOARD, and PAPER used as insulation around furnaces and wood burning stoves. Repairing or removing appliances may release asbestos fibers so may cutting, tearing, sanding, drilling, or sawing insulation.
• DOOR GASKETS in furnaces, wood stoves, and coal stoves. Worn seals can release asbestos fibers during use.
• SOUNDPROOFING OR DECORATIVE MATERIAL sprayed on walls and ceilings. Loose, crumbly, or water-damaged material may release fibers. So will sanding, drilling, or scraping the material.
• PATCHING AND JOINT COMPOUNDS for walls and ceilings, and TEXTURED PAINTS. Sanding, scraping, or drilling these surfaces may release asbestos.
• ASBESTOS CEMENT ROOFING, SHINGLES, and SIDING. These products are not likely to release asbestos fibers unless they are sawed, drilled, or cut. These products have been used extensively in some areas of the world.

Asbestos - Health concern

WHAT IS ASBESTOS?

Asbestos is a generic term describing a number of naturally occurring fibrous minerals that have been used in a wide range of products because of their insulating, acoustical, fire protective and chemical resistance properties. According to some definitions, there are as many as 30 varieties of asbestos, however only six are of commercial use. These six are listed in the asbestos definition section 1 of the regulation 278/05: antinolite, amosite, anthophylite, chrysotile, crocidilite and tremolite.

Two classes of asbestos products were widely used. The first class includes materials easily crumbled or loose in composition. These are referred to as “friable”. The second type includes materials much more durable because they are held together by a binder such as cement, vinyl, or asphalt. These products are termed “non friable”.

The release of asbestos fibres from asbestos-containing materials is primarily a result of activities that result in their disturbance. In order to prevent the exposure of individuals to harmful levels of asbestos fibres, proper precautions and safe work procedures must be implemented, when any work is conducted on or close to asbestos contaminated materials. In addition, regular inspections to readily identify damaged or deteriorating materials must be conducted so that they can be promptly addressed.

HOW HAS ASBESTOS BEEN USED?

During the 1930’s up to the late 1970’s, asbestos was used in many building materials. To date many buildings and houses constructed during that time period still contain some form of asbestos materials, such as sprayed fibrous fireproofing on structural steelwork, thermal insulation on heaters, boilers, pipes and other mechanical equipment, decorative or acoustic plaster finish on ceiling and walls, asbestos-cement products, including roof material acoustic paneling, electric insulation, laboratory table tops, water and sewage piping systems, ceiling tiles, vinyl floor tiles or sheet flooring.

In 1973 the spray application of asbestos insulation ceased when new regulation were implemented under the Ontario Construction Safety Act. Following the change suppliers of pipe and boiler insulation stopped using asbestos in their products. Both of these asbestos applications are prohibited by the new asbestos regulation (O Rag 654/85).

WHY IS ASBESTOS A HEALTH HAZARD?

Asbestos is a known hazardous material. Several diseases are associated with exposure to asbestos. They are asbestosis, mesothelioma, cancer of the lung and other asbestos related cancers. These are serious, debilitating diseases that often end in severe medical disability or death

To cause disease, asbestos fibres must be inhaled into the lungs. Fibres that can enter the lung and cause disease are too small to be visible to the naked eye. For each disease there is a period of latency that is usually more than ten years, between first exposure to asbestos and the appearance of the disease. It is this characteristic that makes asbestos disease so insidious. Exposure can continue for many years without any outward evidence of harm while the disease develops silently within.

ASBESTOS RELATED DISEASES

Asbestosis
Asbestosis is a disease of the lungs caused by scar tissue forming around very small asbestos fibres deposited deep in the lungs. As the amount of scar tissue increases, the ability of lungs to expand and contract decreases, causing shortness of breath and a heavier workload on the heart. Ultimately, asbestosis can be fatal.

Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a relatively rare cancer of the lining of the chest and/or abdomen. While this disease is seldom observed in the general population, it appears frequently in workers exposed to asbestos.

Lung Cancer
Lung cancer appears quite frequently in people exposed to asbestos dust. While science and medicine have not yet been able to explain precisely why or how asbestos causes lung cancer, it is clear that exposure to asbestos dust can increase the risk of this disease. Studies have shown that the risk to asbestos workers is roughly five times greater than for people who are not exposed.

Cigarette smoking, another cause of lung cancer, multiplies the risk. Cigarette smoking and asbestos exposure combine to produce a synergistic effect. Research has shown that the risk of developing lung cancer was fifty times higher for asbestos workers, who smoked, than for workers who neither smoked nor worked with asbestos.

Other Illnesses
The relationship between asbestos exposure and asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer has been clearly established and is beyond argument. Several other cancers have also been associated with the inhalation of asbestos. Although the evidence is inconclusive, these cancers should be noted. They are, gastrointestinal cancer affecting all sited in the gastrointestinal tract, and cancer of the larynx.

A number of less serious effects have been associated with asbestos exposure, such as pleural plaques, asbestos bodies and warts. Pleural plaques are areas of scarring of the pleural surfaces. In general, they are not associated with any functional abnormality and are merely and indicator of asbestos exposure. Occasionally, they can become so widespread that they restrict lung function. Asbestos bodies, also known as “Ferruginous bodies”, result when asbestos fibres become coated with a substance containing protein and iron. The asbestos bodies are not harmful and like pleural plaques, serve as evidence of asbestos exposure. Asbestos warts are harmless skin growths that occur when asbestos fibres penetrate the skin.

Have a Licensed Professional Do the Removal

If you are planning on remodeling your home or repairing items that may contain asbestos, such as asbestos ceiling tile, floor tiles, or pipe insulation, there are a few issues that you should be aware of. Asbestos, when left undisturbed, will usually not produce airborne dust or fibers. The danger comes when asbestos-containing materials are disturbed, allowing potentially deadly fibers to be dispersed into the air where they can be inhaled. Never attempt to remove or repair these toxic products. It is best to hire a licensed Asbestos abatement contractor to remove these hazardous substances. A licensed Asbestos abatement contractor will make sure the work area is sealed off completely from the rest of the house during the removal process & prevent any Asbestos from contaminating the home.