What you should look for in a contractor for professional asbestos removal

If your home was built between 1940-1990, with or without renovations, there’s a good chance it contains asbestos. Before you panic, asbestos, while harmful for health, is only a hazard when it’s exposed or damaged.

If it’s present in your building materials like flooring, insulation, and roofing, then it’s only when you undertake renovations or notice wear and tear that it becomes something to look at removing.

With house prices and interest rates as they are, many people are starting to put their foot on the property ladder. In many cases, those same new homeowners will have grand ideas about home renovations and alterations.

Before you begin, it’s essential to understand not only what materials could contain asbestos, but what you should look for in a contractor for professional asbestos removal, as well. Read on to find out.

What materials in my home might contain asbestos?

The New Zealand Ministry of Health has released an excellent source of information to help homeowners find out whether asbestos is likely to be present in their homes. Given that around 3,000 different products contained asbestos on the American market up until the 1980s alone, there’s a fair chance that at least one building material in your pre-1990s property has it too.

Homes built between 1950-1985 may have it in the roofing, cladding, interior walls, wall lining, and vinyl flooring. Decorative ceilings, while beautiful, can contain it as well. If any of these materials are not in excellent condition, or you plan to remove them, it’s paramount to check in with an asbestos removal expert to find out what your obligations are.

Reputable asbestos removal company

Asbestos removal in your commercial or residential property can literally be life and death. Therefore, it’s crucial not to choose cowboy companies that don’t follow legal procedures for its safe removal. When the time comes to choose an asbestos removal expert, do your homework.

Find a company that’s recommended, has the appropriate certifications, and has glowing testimonials from their customers. The best asbestos removal company in New Zealand is also one that disposes of asbestos correctly and fulfils all health regulations.

Licensed asbestos removal experts

In 2016, the New Zealand Government released health and safety regulations for the safe removal of asbestos. When you’re looking for an asbestos contractor, choose one that follows these to the letter.

Part of these licensing requirements means that trained asbestos professionals in NZ must have Class A or Class B licences, depending on the type of asbestos that needs to be removed.

A Class A licence allows an asbestos supervisor to take care of any asbestos materials, be it friable or non-friable. A Class B licence will enable professionals to remove non-friable asbestos that is not flakey, crumbly, or likely to become airborne.

The full package

With home renovations, running a household, and working full-time, it shouldn’t be on the homeowner to squeeze in time to manage safe asbestos removal. That should be left up to the experts. Therefore, what you should look for in a contractor for professional asbestos removal is someone that will handle all steps of the process, not only the removal. 

An expert can carry out site testing and sampling, which establishes where asbestos is and how safe it is. They can also develop an asbestos management plan, which ensures everyone in proximity to the asbestos can be safe from exposure (now and in the future).

Then, following the recommendations of the Ministry of Health and WorkSafe, the asbestos contractor will remove asbestos in a way that minimises harm to the homeowner and property visitors.

How to know that asbestos needs to be removed

To look at your pre-1990s home, you may not know that dangers are lurking within. After all, it’s your family home, and it’s as comfortable and as safe as you’ve made it. However, there may come a time when you need to hire asbestos removal companies to take care of a cancer-causing mineral that can be fatal. When is that time?

The time to call in the big guns is when you notice that any building materials that could contain asbestos (see previous information from the Ministry of Health) are damaged. If they are cracked, crumbling, flakey, or just not looking at their best, then it’s worth contacting an expert for their advice on what to do next.

Many people are also buying homes now that require renovations. Before you get those alterations underway, request testing to see if any building materials contain asbestos. If they do, a removalist will need to step in and ensure further renovations are undertaken as safely as possible. You can also find out what to replace old asbestos-laden building materials with here.

Take action on asbestos

Asbestos is responsible for the deaths of around 90,000 people globally every year. It’s not a material that an average homeowner should take a chance on and handle without expert assistance. When the time comes to undertake home repairs or maintenance, get in touch with a reputable contractor to assist.