Buying a house has never been an easy thing. Honestly, I think that there’s so much that goes into consideration when making the decision to purchase your dream house. For this article, a very important question you need to ask yourself is: should I buy a house with asbestos? Truth be told, this is often a dilemma to many people, considering that asbestos is a harmful mineral. Many houses that were built before the 1980s have a substantial amount of asbestos, which explains the concern that many prospective homeowners have today.
The straightforward answer to this significant question is that yes, you can buy a house with asbestos. However, you need to get informed on what to do if you happen to find out that your dream house has asbestos. Generally, it’s quite understandable when potential homeowners start showing disinterest to a house once they discover that it has this dangerous mineral. Quite frankly, nobody would want to live in a house containing a substance that threatens one’s quality of health, right? But, you don’t have to let go of your potential house because of asbestos as long as you understand some fundamental aspects.
Is Asbestos Dangerous?
The simple answer is that yes, it’s hazardous. The long answer is that it is dangerous but only when damaged, disrupted, or in a deteriorating condition. So, what this means is that if you have a material or part of your house that contains asbestos, it can remain harmless as long as you don’t disturb it or it doesn’t get damaged. Again, if it’s in good condition, the mineral can’t get airborne, therefore taking away the potential risk it might cause to those living in the house.
It is because of this that I believe you shouldn’t give up on the house you’ve spotted and liked just because it has asbestos. All you need is the right information on how to handle the issue. For instance, if you take note of the condition of asbestos in your house, you can reduce the risk of harm significantly? Better still, you can invite professionals to survey the house and advice accordingly. Through this, you will end up reducing the risk of exposure to asbestos.
Understanding the Degree of Asbestos Contamination
How do you know if a house has asbestos? Well, since you are not an expert in this, the best way is to hire a professional to conduct a thorough testing. Before you buy a house with asbestos, it’s prudent for you to first assess the extent of contamination. The safety of your family is paramount when you are moving into a new house; hence, you have to put a lot of consideration on the condition of asbestos. The following are essential steps you should take as you evaluate the degree of asbestos contamination in the house you are buying:
- Before you get to buy a house, you have to inspect it to see whether it has what you need. It will be a very big mistake if you buy a house without looking carefully to know what it has and doesn’t have. For this reason, you will need to carefully examine any materials that you suspect might be having asbestos.
- Talk to the real estate agent and inquire whether there is a report of the extent of asbestos in the house. A point to remember here is that if the house you are buying has asbestos, you can negotiate the buying price depending on the amount of overall contamination.
- In order to be sure of what you are dealing with and invest much in the safety of your family, it’s imperative to have a professional asbestos testing before you purchase the house.
How to Manage Asbestos Effectively
If you decide to buy a house with asbestos, you will need to know how to manage it effectively. As mentioned earlier, buying a house with asbestos is okay, but you should know how to deal with it moving forward.
1. An Asbestos Management Plan
It’s a great idea to hire a professional to give you a detailed plan on how you are going to manage asbestos in your new home. You will receive a written plan that gives you important information on the following:
- The location of asbestos in your home
- The best steps to take in managing the risks involved
- The steps you should take in order to work on projects that might disturb the asbestos
- A schedule detailing how to manage the risks involved, which may include the dates for asbestos removal
- How to record the emergencies and incidents related to asbestos
- How to evaluate and revise the plan.
This plan is a big necessity if you are going to protect your family. It will help you mitigate a lot of risks associated with the harmful mineral.
2. How to Effectively Manage the Risk of Asbestos
If you choose to buy a house with asbestos, you will have to learn how to effectively manage it. Essentially, there are three ways you can do this:
- Leave it alone: Generally, if asbestos is left undisturbed, the risks of causing harm to you and your family are minimal. As long as it’s in good condition, you can live with it safely.
- Cover it: Another option you can explore is covering the asbestos with another material which is not dangerous. For example, you can put up a ceiling under surfaces containing asbestos.
- Removal: If asbestos poses a greater risk to you and your family, the best course of action is to have it removed completely. For example, if it’s in an area that requires a lot of repairs, it’s best if you just removed it.
The bottom-line here is that you can buy a house with asbestos and still live in it. The only thing here that you have to fully consider is how you are going to manage it. Effective management of asbestos requires you to mitigate the risks involved to your level best. The good thing here is that it’s very possible to manage it well. In case you have any questions, you can always contact your nearest professionals for expert advice.
Written by: Michael Wenneson