You have to be extremely careful when removing old flooring. Wearing a face mask is essential no matter what, but if you don’t look into the fact whether or not that old flooring contains asbestos you may be looking at some serious charges to your Colorado health insurance. Indeed, you may want to be sure that your Life Insurance is up to date.
Leave It To The Professionals
Whether you live in Colorado or anywhere else, you can’t escape the fact that asbestos was used back in the day (until 1972) on a regular basis. It was used in practically all forms from ceiling tiles to floor tiles; and everything in between. Before you tear up any old flooring be sure to find out whether or not asbestos is involved. It is possible to run that test on your own or you might want to just go with the professionals on this, as well. If there is asbestos it may really be time to call in the professionals; they have the ways and the means by which to remove and dispose of asbestos loaded materials. Imagine the kind of Health Insurance premiums these guys pay!
For All You Do It Yourselfers
If you have decided not to go with professionals you can buy a home testing kit that will allow you to test your flooring materials for asbestos. As long as materials that contain asbestos are not frayed, crumbled or chipping they are not viable. Undamaged asbestos flooring is best left alone. Once that asbestos is airborne, everyone is in trouble. Just to give you an idea, here are some of the things you would need if you decided to do this project yourself: disposable towels, a mop, plastic garbage bags, duct tape, plastic sheeting, a floor tile scraper, utility knife, putty knives, liquid detergent, spray bottles, and protective gear such as eye protection, rubber boots, gloves, coveralls and a respirator. Sound like fun? You’re going to have to encase the entire area in plastic sheeting, with nothing but a slit for an entrance and exit. Everything must be covered; all surfaces. Making sure that you are working with wet materials will help discourage the asbestos particles from becoming airborne.
And of course when all is said and done the tiles must be disposed of in a proper manner; they contain hazardous materials. Seriously is this an undertaking that you really want to put on your to do list? Wait until your insurance company finds out that you are planning on removing that asbestos tile in your kitchen; oh boy are you going to be in for it!
