If your house was built in the 70s or 80s, there’s a strong possibility that you may have asbestos hidden behind your walls, columns, and other parts of your home.
Asbestos is an extremely dangerous material that was once very commonly used in the construction industry to strengthen cement and plastic for insulation and roofing. Once you’ve inhaled even a miniscule amount of asbestos fibre, this could lead to serious lung diseases and other health issues.
If you suspect that your house contains asbestos, the best course of action for you to take is to call in professional asbestos inspectors. These seasoned experts will inspect your house and determine which areas you must be cautious of.
An asbestos inspection is an incredibly smart precaution to take, especially if you have plans of renovating your home in the future. If you start poking around your walls with nary an inkling of what you’re getting into contact with, the chances of accidentally inhaling asbestos dust greatly increases.
Because of the seriousness of the matter, it is immensely important to find the best possible asbestos inspection services. You’ll want a company that is thorough to a fault in their process, from practicing the proper safety procedures to providing the official asbestos register VIC homes entail.
1. Remember that asbestos inspection and removal are different
You may encounter a few companies that label themselves as an asbestos inspection company, but in actuality, is a removal company. These are two completely separate things. Chances are, this deception is actually done for the misleading company’s own benefit, as once they’re hired, they will write up their registers in favour of their removal services.
Be very careful when looking for the right company. Do enough research to gather all the accurate information that you need. Don’t let yourself get swayed by mentions of discounts or special promotions. What matters is if they are able to perform the inspection services as necessary.
If you can, your best option is to check for a license. If their license indicates that their specialty is in removing asbestos and not inspecting for it, then take them off your list of prospects.
2. Check for officially certified inspectors
Don’t be afraid to ask to see certification of the inspectors that will look at your house. After all, it’s your property and lives may be at risk here.
Some companies hire retired construction workers rather than trained inspectors to do the job. Although builders may have pertinent knowledge about the structure of a house, tools, and even asbestos as a material, it’s still a widely different practice from managing possible risk exposures to asbestos.
Unless they’ve undergone rigorous training to become a certified inspector of asbestos, it’s best to look for companies that employ legitimate experts in the field.
3. Look for accreditations or awards
Companies nowadays almost always have websites or at least, social media pages. Because of this, everything that you need to know about an agency is right at your fingertips – that includes any awards that they may have received.
Before agreeing to anything, visit their website and look for any accreditations, as these will of course, only serve to prove the legitimacy of their business.
Keep in mind that you’re looking for an agency that focuses solely on asbestos inspection. This would mean that their main focus is inspecting, and all of their time and resources are spent on honing their services and improving their efforts. If they offer any other services such as pest extermination or plumbing, you may want to look elsewhere.
Asbestos risk management is such a delicate and crucial matter that you’re better off hiring a company that specializes in just that, and not any other business ventures.