Asbestos can pose a very serious health hazard and should only be handled by expertly trained professionals who have the proper knowledge and equipment to remove it safely. While most people think of asbestos being in insulation and ceiling tiles of homes typically built between 1930-1950, it can also be found in many other materials that could need removal and special handling.
Some of these materials include:
- Vinyl floor tiles, the adhesives used to install them, and the backings of vinyl sheet flooring
- Roofing and siding shingles
- Cement sheet, millboard, and paper insulation around furnaces and wood-burning stoves
- Blankets and asbestos paper tape that protect hot water pipes
- Material sprayed on walls for decoration or soundproofing
- Textured paints and patching compounds (which fill holes and cracks) for walls and ceiling joints
- Insulation for oil and coal furnaces and door gaskets
