Awhile back, J and I were driving through the Manitoban prairies, talking about our plans for the summer. He suggested a long vacation away :). I suggested a short vacation away (without the babes!) to celebrate our 10-year anniversary AND that we use up the gallons and gallons of paint that are presently sitting in our basement!! I think my nomination won the vote (although the jury is still out on when and where exactly we will be headed!!) - but as I get closer to the re-paint-the-entire-house-project, I think of all the prep work that will be involved.
One thing I did check into was whether or not I should be concerned about asbestos as I work around the house. Not only for my sake, but also for the wee ones that live under our roof. As far as I can tell, we don't have any of the products that could be a potential issue...
- Disturbing loose-fill vermiculite insulation which may contain asbestos
- Removing deteriorating roofing shingles and siding containing asbestos, or tampering with roofing felt that contains asbestos
- Ripping away old asbestos insulation from around a hot water tank
- Sanding or scraping vinyl asbestos floor tiles
- Breaking apart acoustical ceilings tiles containing asbestos
- Sanding plaster containing asbestos, or sanding or disturbing acoustical plaster that gives ceilings and walls a soft, textured look
- Sanding or scraping older water-based asbestos coatings such as roofing compounds, spackling, sealants, paint, putty, caulking or drywall
- Sawing, drilling or smoothing rough edges of new or old asbestos materials
However, as I began to read - home-owners are not the only ones who are at risk for damage caused by this natural mineral. If you - or someone you love :) - works at (or even lives near!) a refinery, shipyard, mill, mine, farm, or construction site, for example, they may be at a great risk for developing either Mesothelioma (an extremely serious form of cancer) or Asbestosis (a chronic lung disease). Doctors are even recognizing these conditions from second-hand exposure (ie. a spouse laundering the clothes of someone who has been working in these conditions). If they are concerned about exposure, (or are struggling with present health conditions) encourage them to seek out further information (eg. Mesothelioma Lawyer). If you find yourself doing home renovations, contact nearby health departments to see if they can assess the risk of asbestos exposure. The problem area can usually be easily contained (or safely removed if need be). And better be safe than sorry, right!?
As the painting "fun" around here begins, I'll be sure to post pre and post pictures! Wish me luck :).
PS - anyone know how to remove tacky border paper as easily as possible!?
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