If your home in Australia was built between the 1950s and the year 2000, there is a chance that asbestos may be present in one form or another.
Asbestos was a commonly used building material during this time because it is a naturally abundant material that happens to be flexible, lightweight, incredibly strong, heat resistant and basically indestructible.
Asbestos was used in lots of different ways when it came to the building and construction industry. It would be used loosely as insulation or mixed with adhesive products in areas of the home that might be exposed to water or heat, as well as in cement sheeting that was used for walls, ceilings, flooring and roofing.
The use of asbestos materials was banned in Australia in 2003 because of the huge health risks it posed. Asbestos was found to be the cause of lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis, each of which has no cure.
While the presence of asbestos in your home isn’t always a health risk, when it becomes old, brittle, deteriorated or is disturbed in some way, it can release asbestos fibres that do pose a health risk.
So, if your home has asbestos in it, what do you do? Well, the first step is to find a professional who can confirm its presence and who is able to remove it without putting you or anyone else at risk.
Removing asbestos by yourself is only allowed in a few circumstances and there are a lot of rules and regulations around the removal and disposal of asbestos in Australia. So, we’ve put together some handy information on the things you should take into consideration when searching for the right asbestos removal company for you.
Find the best asbestos removal experts with these tips
There are lots of people out there who claim they can remove and dispose of asbestos, however, with all the potential health risks associated with asbestos removal, as well as the rules and regulations of the process itself, it can be difficult to know exactly who the right person is to do the job for you.
To narrow down your search, the right asbestos removal company will:
Be licensed and experienced
Unless you’re removing a very small amount of non-friable asbestos from your home, the process of asbestos removal requires a license. The asbestos removal licenses come in classes – either A or B.
Class A licensed removalists are able to remove all kinds of asbestos, whereas class B can only remove restricted amounts.
If you’re looking for someone to remove asbestos from your property, the best option is to look for someone with a Class A Unrestricted license, as they won’t face any obstacles, regardless of how much asbestos and the type of asbestos present on your property.
You also want someone who has been in the game for a long time and knows how to spot asbestos, because often, the building materials were not labelled as having asbestos in them, and they can look a lot like other materials we use today.
An experienced removalist will have great knowledge of the different areas asbestos might be found and the formats it may be in. They will also have the experience in handling asbestos and ensuring it can be removed with as little disturbance as possible. Asbestos fibres are not usually visible to the naked eye, so it can be hard to tell when they are present, but a licensed and experienced professional will be able to manage the situation properly.
Follow the rules and not cut corners
Unfortunately, like lots of industries, there are some dodgy players in the asbestos world too.
When it comes to asbestos removal for your home, you want to work with someone who does not cut corners.
Improper asbestos removal, handling and disposal carries strict fines and other ramifications because it can be a huge health risk to people exposed to it.
So, save yourself a headache and don’t work with someone who might cut corners just to save a few dollars, only work with licensed asbestos disposal experts.
Provide you with a free quote
Before you agree to an asbestos removal service, get a quote for the job first.
Do your due diligence to make sure you’re working with the right company. You’ll find that a lot of reputable asbestos removal companies offer similar pricing for their services because they aren’t interested in ripping people off or providing their service too cheaply. The service is highly specialised and requires time and patience.
So, if someone is lowballing everyone else, we recommend asking them how they can afford to charge so little. It might be because they want to beat out the competition, or it might be because they are cutting corners.
But, by finding out how much companies are charging, it can help you better understand how much you should be paying.
Have great reviews
Reviews go a long way when it comes to choosing who to work with, even when it comes to asbestos removal services. Reviews can give you a great insight into how a business conducts themselves.
It’s a good idea to read as many reviews as possible to get an understanding, and if there are only brief good reviews, we recommend being a little cautious. If reviews sound generic, they may have been made up by friends and family of the company.
It’s super easy to find reviews for companies, you can often see them on their website or even just on google. So do your research.
If you follow these steps to find your asbestos removal company, you’ll be in great hands!
