From repainting a wall to renovating a room, it’s important to understand the dangers of lead paint in older houses. This is a risk not just posed to you, but any contractors hired for the work. For the safety of your family and these employees, it’s important to talk to them about their RRP Certification and to get your home tested and lead paint removed if it poses a danger. This article will go over what the risks of lead paint is, why RRP Certification exists, and what to talk to your contractors about. [Read more…] about The Importance of RRP Certification for Contractors
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The Presence of Asbestos in Power Plants
While this blog often covers the residential side of asbestos inspections and exposure, it’s important to remember the industrial uses (at an industrial scale) of asbestos in the commercial industry. Besides the factories that produced or handled asbestos-containing materials (ACM), few buildings saw as much asbestos use as power plants in the US. This article is designed to provide an overview for those concerned about the presences of asbestos in these types of facilities. [Read more…] about The Presence of Asbestos in Power Plants
Looking Up: Asbestos in Ceiling Tiles
Many quick solutions have caused unexpected long-term problems, and that’s certainly been true of the asbestos manufacturing industry, especially in the US. In the heyday of asbestos – between the 1940s to the 1990s – asbestos was a fire-proofing material that was lightweights, insulating, noise dampening, and cheap. Asbestos was used in everything from loose insulation to vinyl tiling. One common feature of older offices is the false “drop” ceilings filled with row after row of white tiles. If you’re unlucky, those tiles could contain asbestos. [Read more…] about Looking Up: Asbestos in Ceiling Tiles
Asbestos Exposure for Construction Contractors
While this blog often focuses on the impact asbestos exposure has on the owners and residents of a property, it’s also important to understand how it affects those who come in direct contact with it from job to job, worksite to worksite. Today we’re looking at the professions that are most at risk, looking specifically at the construction industry where the risk of asbestos exposure is at its highest. [Read more…] about Asbestos Exposure for Construction Contractors
Diagnosing and Dealing with Mold in HVAC Systems
For homes and businesses, HVAC systems are one of their workhorses. On almost daily during for over half the year, these heating and cooling systems can also harbor a hazard to your family, staff, and customers: mold. This article goes over the basics of the formation of mold in HVAC systems, how you can identify it, and where to go from there. Many of these apply equally to both residential and commercial buildings; it’s only the scale that differs. [Read more…] about Diagnosing and Dealing with Mold in HVAC Systems
Home Asbestos Exteriors: Asbestos Shingles and Siding
It never ceases to amaze how many uses for asbestos were found before its decline in the 1980s. Still, it can be found all across the United States, in homes as new as the 1990s. In the past, we’ve gone over home interiors, especially places where insulation and heat-resistance were important, but today we go to the exterior of the home to look at the siding and roofing of a home. Just like with its use indoors, asbestos fibers were mixed with other materials to make heat-resistance and durable, creating asbestos shingles and siding. [Read more…] about Home Asbestos Exteriors: Asbestos Shingles and Siding
