Hiring an asbestos abatement company is getting professionals to take care of your space for you. If you’re in doubt of safety concerns in your living space, you need to seek professional help. Asbestos can easily lead to mesothelioma cancer. Hence, if you suspect you have asbestos in your house, don’t attempt cleaning it yourself. Nor should you jump on the bandwagon of hiring a professional right away, either.
Asbestos cleaning can get expensive. You also need to ensure your property owner will allow asbestos abatement. It would help if you also kept in mind, cleaning may require relocation. You can’t afford to get exposed to the fibers. Therefore, unlike regular cleaning, there are different factors you need to take care of. Here are some factors you should pay attention to as you work on taking care of your space:
1. Take A Survey Around Your House
Suppose you have a basement or a roof that looks rusted. It would be best if you evaluated how much of your house gets impacted. If the rust runs deep, don’t attempt tapping it. You can end up exposing yourself to more asbestos fibers. The same situation applies if the flooring is loose. Don’t attempt any renovation project that exposes asbestos fibers. So, if you feel your house needs help, consider looking towards a professional company.
2. Consider Your Health
You need to check with a doctor and get tests done too. You may want to confirm if you are dealing with cancer. If the doctor informs you that the mesothelioma prognosis is quite extensive, that means your house could be a source. Unless you’re an industrial worker or worked in any profession that would expose you to asbestos, it is your house. In such cases, you need to hire a contractor right away. Think of all possible places you can relocate to while your house will get treated. If you choose to ignore your health and not get your house looked at, your health may deteriorate further.
3. Search For Asbestos Contractors
It would help if you Googled for asbestos contractors near you. Contractors who operate in your area will know the kind of asbestos that grows in the houses. They will know how to work with the house to make sure your home is clean. In addition, they can give you a rough idea of how much the process will cost. However, the main costing can only get drawn when they get the complete picture.
4. Look For Their Certificates
You should know companies that provide services need a certificate. These certificates ensure the company’s legitimacy and compliance with the state laws. Having a company name alone is not enough. If they have the proper credentials, they should be allowed to help you. You don’t want to end up getting scammed because you weren’t careful.
5. Let Professionals Guide You
When a professional enters your house, they will take the whole picture into account. They’ll observe the asbestos spread and inform you what you need to do. Cleaning comes in three stages. Stage one is quick cleaning, where apparent asbestos gets taken care of. Stage three is very in-depth clearing, often bordering on a renovation project. While you may get an idea of how bad the situation is, you still can’t proceed.
6. Get Clearance From Property Owner
The property owner can inform you what aspects of your house can get changed. If they allow you to renovate the project, you need to be at some distance from your neighbors. Your home may also need quarantining. The reason being asbestos has airborne microscopic fibers. You can risk it going to other houses by accidentally inhaling them.
In most cases, the property owner at most will ask you to patch over the asbestos. Let the professional handle it for you. Even if the work looks simple, let them move objects as per their expertise.
7. Check Their Safety Equipment
Apart from OSHA’s standards, contractors should have all the safety equipment. If they’re going to work with asbestos, they will be heavily exposed. You can’t risk a lawsuit if a contractor only does the bare minimum and sues you for endangerment. You want to make sure the professionals entering your house know what they’re doing.
8. Ask For A Timeline
You can’t live out of your house for long, and you may require a timeline. Ask the contractors to give you a realistic idea of how long cleaning will take. How in-depth they have to go. You may need to relocate for a while if the cleaning is extensive. After the first consultation, they give you an idea of how bad the situation is. Immediately make arrangements for yourself and move out.
9. Ask them about Asbestos Disposal
If the contractors are removing asbestos products from your house, ask them about disposal. Unlike regular trash, asbestos products need to go through a particular process. You don’t want to risk airborne asbestos fibers, and you can’t throw asbestos products into your local bin. Ensure where they’re throwing makes sense and will keep people from harm. Also, ensure the product doesn’t get reused.
10. Number Of Contractors Per Project
Contractors charge you according to the labor they dispatch. Make sure you’re aware of the cleaning process and the number of laborers it would take. You don’t want too many people marching in to do one man’s job. If they charge on an hourly basis, make sure you know that detail. You should also be able to deduce the timeline if a large number of contractors are working. Don’t let them take their sweet time but make sure they’re fast and thorough.
11. Let A Contractor Visit The Aftermath
Once your house gets cleared, you need one final inspection. Contractors will make sure to vacuum and filter the air before they let you back in. However, let them inspect your area one more time. Let them make notes if they think the asbestos problem has been abetted but needs more work. Always prepare yourself for extra work. There’s always a chance they may notice something after the work is complete. In such cases, you may need to hold on a bit longer.
12. Consider Your Budget
Your budget is essential. While cleaning is necessary, you can’t blow your money in one place. You can always compare market rates to find the rate that suits you. If you feel a contractor is too expensive, switch to the next one. In such cases, look for reviews. If you find an excellent reviewed contractor at a reasonable rate, consider hiring them. If you’re getting treated for mesothelioma, then you may need to re-evaluate how your budget should be. Make sure you follow standard rates and don’t pay too much than necessary.
Wrap Up
Before you can hire an asbestos contractor, you need to consider some facts. You need to know what state your house is in and if you need help right away. Your first responsibility is to find out what shape your condition is in. Are you in dire need of mesothelioma treatment? After you have that established, start looking at contractors. Pick those who operate at a reasonable rate and within your state.
The most crucial factor you need to keep in mind is to plan before you bring hired help. Let the team guide you on how much work your house needs and what it will cost. Make sure the time they propose makes sense to you and doesn’t go out of budget. You will need to make living arrangements for yourself, so bear that in mind.
