Floor upgrades are common in industrial, commercial, public, and residential properties. New floss are installed to better equip and interior the environment to its functionality. For example many warehouses and plants use epoxy floors to minimize wear and tear, schools use linoleum floors to facilitate cleaning, and stores or homes use tiles to focus on style or unique functions. When flooring renovations are on the table, asbestos inspections are imperative to determine if asbestos removal is required. Inch By Inch Inspections offers leading asbestos abatement in Toronto to help property owners detect and eliminate asbestos on-site for safe demolition and construction.
Read on to learn more about when and why you should consider asbestos removal before your flooring renovation plans.
Why Was Asbestos Used in Floors?
Asbestos fibres were usd in the manufacturing of many productions and in construction for a number of reasons. One of its most attractive properties was its durability which is why it was used in various building materials including insulation, drywall, and certain flooring materials. Asbestos inspections found the mineral in vinyl floor tiles, some linoleum flooring, asphalt tiles, and even some cases of laminate flooring around the mid 1980s before the mineral was banned by the Canadian government. Used in paper-like sheet backings, asbestos-adhesives were also used as glue in flooring installation projects. Ultimately the mineral was popular for its ability to strengthen floors, increasing their durability, however today many of the same components now need asbestos abatement in Toronto.
The Dangers of Asbestos in Your Floors
Despite being popular at one point, the now widely understood risks of asbestos exposure prompt urgent asbestos removal from experienced and certified industry professionals like the Inch By Inch Inspections team. Asbestos is a very sensitive mineral. With even slight contact, unencapsulated instances of the mineral can easily become airborne where the fibres divide rapidly until they become so microscopic that they are unknowingly inhaled or ingested by those in the nearby area. As asbestos fibres consume the breathing air they enter the respiratory or digestive tract, compromising tissues and causing scarring to tissues encountered along the way.
During construction or flooring renovations, the existing materials need to be lifted from the ground using tools and manual labour that can easily trigger the release of friable fibers into the air. Once in the air, asbestos fibres can linger for hours, clinging onto fabrics and upholstery of clothing and furniture, where it can have damaging effects for days.
How to Identify Asbestos Contamination
The thought of asbestos on your property can understandably be scary. With Inch By Inch Inspections, asbestos inspections and removal is safe and reliable. Before construction or demolition projects, you can contact our teams for Designated Substance Surveys where our technicians will produce a thorough government-mandated report that identifies instances of asbestos and 10 other harmful substances on your property, so you can take action to prevent dangerous repercussions. Using an expert approach in accordance with government mandates, as well as industry standards, you can count on Inch By Inch Inspections for asbestos abatement in Toronto.