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®Asbestos

Information Series©2007 Pillar To Post Inc.

Asbestos is a mineral possessing useful properties, including thermal stability, strength, and good insulating abilities. Asbestos has been used in many products, from automobile brake pads to thermal insulation.

In the home, asbestos may be found in the following:• Asbestoscementrooftiles• Roofingfelts• Asbestoscementsiding• Resilientflooring(vinylfloor

tiles, etc.)• Acoustic ceiling tiles• Stipple paint, spray coatings,

patching and joint compounds• Pipewrapforhotwater

heating systems• Thermalinsulationonheating

ducts and heating systems • Doorgasketsonfurnaces,

boilers,andwoodstoves• Insulationinwallsandceilings• Vermiculitethermalinsulation

in attics and walls

What’s the Problem?Asbestosposesahealthriskwhenthefibersbecomeairborn.Breathinghighlevelsofasbestosfiberscanleadtolungdisease,includingasbestosisandlungcancer.Mostpeoplewhogetasbestosishavebeenexposedtohighlevelsofasbestosoveraverylongperiodoftime.Symptomsdonotusuallydevelopforabout20to30yearsafterexposure.

Todayoccupationalexposureiscarefullycontrolled,andtheuseofasbestosinproductshasbeendramaticallyreduced.Theproductsthatcontainasbestosarebetterdesignedtoencapsulatetheasbestosfibers,preventingthemfrombeingreleasedintotheenvironment.

Pillar To Post®, Austin Texas Team TREC 6056 Locally Owned and Operated since 2002 We welcome your comments and suggestions for future Information Series topics [email protected] (512) 515-0021 http://Austin.PillarToPost.com

The Risk in Your HomeWhilemostpeopleexposedtosmallamountsofasbestosdonotdevelopanyhealthproblems,aprudentavoidanceprotocolisbest.Ifyouknowwhatcontainsasbestosinyourhome,youcantakestepstoavoidsignificantandprolongedexposure.

Thebiggestriskisattemptingtoremediateonyourown.Disturbingasbestosusuallymakesitbecomedangeroustoyourhealth.Inmostcases,thebestcourseofactionistoleavetheasbestos-containingmaterial alone.

IdentificationIfyoususpectthatmaterialsinyourhomecontainasbestos,youcanhavethemtested.Itisnotpossibletoconfirmwhetheramaterialcontainsasbestosfromavisualinspection.Microscopicexaminationisrequired.Anexpertisrequiredtodothesamplingandidentification.

What Can You Do About Asbestos?Firstandforemost,remediationshouldbedonebyanexpert.Iftheasbestosisingoodcondition,thebestcourseofactionbyfaristoleavethematerialalone.Asbestosisonlyahealthriskifitiscrumblinganddamaged.Ifitshowsminorlocalizeddamage,itcanberepairedbysealingtheasbestosfiberswithasealantthatsticksthefiberstogether.Thisprocessiscalledencapsulation.

Removingasbestosispossiblebutexpensive.Insomecases,removalistheonlyoption,suchasduringrenovations.

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®Lead Based Paint


Older paint contains lead. Over the years, governments have regulated the phasing out of lead in paint entirely. If your house was built before 1960, the paint used during construction would have contained a great deal of lead. Reduction started soon after, with complete elimination by the 1980s. If your house was built after 1978, the paint likely has no lead in it.

So what’s wrong with lead based paint? Lead is unhealthy if ingested. And it is surprisingly easy to ingest paint. It has a way of finding its way into our diets, particularly into the diets of toddlers. For instance, painted door jambs and window sashes create paint dust during use. For toddlers who spend a great deal of time on their hands and knees, and who ‘test’ the world through their mouths, this dust presents a serious health hazard if it contains lead.

TestingKnowing if you have lead based paint is half the battle. The paint can be tested on site by a lead abatement contractor who has specialized testing equipment that can give you instant results. The alternative is to send a sample to a lab for testing. Contact the lab first to get directions for obtaining and packaging the sample.

Dealing with Lead Based PaintKeep it clean: Lead dust is the problem. Wet mop floors weekly and wipe surfaces to remove the lead dust. Some suggest using special detergents and discarding the mop after use. Information on detergents and cleaning protocols are readily available on the internet.

Encapsulate: The paint on the walls and ceilings are fairly safe because they are not wear surfaces. You can encapsulate these areas using modern paint applied over top.


Replace: Wear surfaces can be replaced rather than encapsulated. For example, you can remove and replace door jams with new wood.

Remove: Where encapsulation or wood replacement is not practical, you can remove the paint using chemical strippers. This task is time consuming and expensive and should only be done by an expert lead abatement contractor since proper containment is essential.

A Few TipsLead poisoning does not happen overnight so do not panicFor peace of mind, you can test your children for lead poisoning with a simple blood test done by

your family physicianWash children’s toys often. Toys may collect dustWet mop floors and wipe surfaces weekly to minimize the amount of lead dustHave children wash their hands often, especially before meals. Do not attempt to remove lead based paint yourself as you may create a much bigger problem by

spreading lead dust around your house

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®Mold in Your Home


With so much in the news about the dangers of mold in your home, and the associated health risks, it is easy to get carried away with fear. As with most things, however, a little knowledge goes a long way – getting a clearer picture of the issues and solutions will not only reduce fear, but will also arm you with preventative tools.

Mold has been with us since the beginning of time. Believe it or not, you already have mold in your house. Leave a loaf of bread on your counter for a couple of weeks and you will see it grow. All mold needs to thrive and multiply is a food source, a little water, and oxygen.

Building materials are good food source for mold spores. Add water (you do not need to add oxygen since it’s everywhere) and you have a mold problem. Water is the key to understanding and controlling mold since it is the only mold-growth factor you can control.

What To Do About MoldYou can clean mold yourself if it appears in small amounts. If you find a large amount of mold, or if you suffer from any kind of lung condition, you should get someone else to clean it for you.

You can scrub mold found on hard surfaces with water and detergent. Mold in absorbent materials, however, such as carpets, is more difficult to clean. Better to just throw the carpet out. If you have a flood in your home, it is critical to dry things up quickly. Call in an expert who specializes in flood clean-up.

Government web sites offer free and detailed common sense guides on how to clean mold:Centers For Disease Control And Prevention: www.cdc.govU.S. Environmental Protection Agency: www.epa.govCanada Mortgage and Housing Corporation: www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca


Preventative measuresDeal promptly with water leakage in areas such as the roof, plumbing, and basement.Keep indoor humidity levels at 50% or lower. In cold climates during winter, 50% is still too high.

Condensation on the windows indicate that you have too much humidity. Check the chart on your humidifier.

Make sure your clothes dryer vents to the outside rather than into the house. Check the discharge pipe, too, as these pipes often become disconnected.

Use your bathroom ventilation fan when showering or bathing, and leave the fan running for about twenty minutes afterwards. Similarly, use your kitchen range hood to discharge steam outside when cooking.

A central air-conditioning system effectively reduces humidity levels in warm weather. If areas of your home seem humid during air-conditioning season, you may develop a condensation problem. Sometimes adding a return air vent in the damp area, or adding a damper to the ducting that supplies the area, can improve humidity levels dramatically. Dehumidifiers also help, but be aware that they are expensive to run and do not condition the house. Ask an air-conditioning technician to look at the situation.

Do not put carpets in damp or humid areas. Also, keep furniture and storage away from the wall to ensure good air circulation.

Mold may be here to stay but it can be controlled. Look for dampness in your home and deal with it promptly.

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®Indoor Air Quality


It might surprise you to hear that the air inside your home is often dirtier than the air outside. That’s because indoor air is made up of outdoor air plus all the pollutants and allergens generated from cleaning products, pets, dust, smoke, and so on. Fortunately, you can improve indoor air quality in ways that do not cost a small fortune.

Get the Dust OutDust – a major irritant – includes lint, bacteria, pollen, plant and mold spores, pet dander, etc. You can reduce dust particles in the air in a number of ways. Here are three:

1. Clean or replace the furnace filter every three months. Pillar To Post inspectors find that most homeowners do not keep up with this task. Thick-media filters, such as the five- and six-inch pleated type, last longer than regular filters and filter better too. Of course they are more expensive.

2. We all create an invisible dust cloud just walking through our homes. While a high-quality furnace filter will reduce dust, frequent cleaning and vacuuming is also necessary, but only if your vacuum cleaner is up to the task.

3. A poor-quality vacuum cleaner can also create dust clouds. Before you give up on vacuuming, however, two solutions can address this problem: either install a central vacuum system with the canister-air discharge piped outside the house, or purchase a high-quality, portable vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filtration system. HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air filter. Whichever solution you choose, both will effectively decrease the amount of dust that spews into the air when you vacuum.

Take Control of HumidityHigh humidity levels in your home can significantly contribute to mold and dust mite growth. Dust mites, however, are a fact of life; you cannot eliminate them entirely. But you can decrease their numbers. Dust mites thrive in humidity levels above 50%. Ensuring the humidity in your home is not higher than 50% will diminish dust mite growth. Here are a few ways to address humidity:

1. Buy an inexpensive hygrometer to measure the indoor humidity level. 2. Ensure that your clothes dryer vents to the outside.


3. Bathroom and kitchen fans should direct shower, bath and cooking moisture outside.4. Fix basement leaks and deal with condensation issues.5. Air conditioning systems and dehumidifiers can also remove moisture from the air. Keep in mind

that dehumidifiers use a great deal of electricity and don’t provide any cooling. Make sure you deal with obvious sources of moisture first.

Reduce Chemicals in the AirThe chemicals we use in the home contribute significantly to poor indoor air quality. Here are 4 tips to take control of the chemicals in the air: 1. Get rid of products you no longer need, such as old paint cans and other open and half used

toxic chemicals and poisons. 2. Opened bottles and jars of cleaning products should be contained in an airtight bin. 3. Consider using less toxic and more environmentally friendly cleaning products. 4. Dry-cleaned clothing spews chemicals into the air. If possible, remove the plastic and hang the

stack of dry-cleaning outside for a few hours before bringing it into the house. Of course this may not be practical and we sincerely hope your clothing does not get stolen.

More Efficient Air ExchangeSome homes just need more ventilation. Heat-recovery ventilators, or energy-recovery ventilators are both effective ventilation devices. Some do-it-yourself systems exist out there but we strongly suggest an expert consultation. Choosing the right system involves careful consideration of your home and your specific situation.

Improving air quality in the home is a goal that is easily attainable. Start with the little fixes and then undertake the more complex remedies as needed. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to improve the air you breathe.

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®Vermiculite Insulation


Vermiculite is a mineral in the earth. It is mined to produce a variety of products. When heated to a high temperature, vermiculite “exfoliates” or pops like popcorn into lightweight pieces of material, ideal for use as thermal insulation. Pieces of vermiculite are anywhere from 1/4 to 1 inch thick, and are shaped like little silver, gold or brown nuggets.

Vermiculite is easy to pour into the spaces in attic framing. It was a popular do-it-yourself insulation material in its hay day. Vermiculite was also used in walls and in difficult-to-access areas.

Vermiculite was used to insulate attics from roughly 1925 to about 1985. It was primarily used as a retrofit insulation for older homes. If you have an older home, you could have vermiculite insulation.

Commonly poured into the spaces between the ceiling joists and level with the top of the joists, vermiculite may be underneath a layer of modern fiberglass insulation added later as an upgrade.

Most of the vermiculite attic insulation produced until the mid 1980s was sold under the brand name Zonolite.

The ProblemThe largest supply of vermiculite came from a mine near Libby, Montana. The Libby mine also had natural asbestos deposits. Vermiculite from the Libby mine contains asbestos. The problem is the asbestos, not vermiculite. If you have vermiculite insulation, it is impossible to know if it came from the Libby mine. Since most of the world’s supply came from that mine, chances are high your vermiculite is from this source.

Authorities have known for some time that vermiculite from the Libby mine contained a small amount of asbestos (less than 1%). They thought the low percentage did not pose a significant health risk. More recently, however, the same authorities say that although the


bulk percentage of asbestos is low, a concentrated cloud of asbestos fibers could form when disturbed, posing a health risk.

Tiny asbestos fibers can become trapped in the lungs. Frequent and prolonged exposure could lead to a lung disease called asbestosis, or to lung cancer. Asbestos is only a health concern if it gets into your lungs.

Action PlanFirst of all, it is reasonable to assume that vermiculite in any attic contains asbestos. You could have it tested, but even for a trained expert it is difficult to test the material reliably.

There is no health risk if you do not disturb the insulation. Authorities agree that the best course of action is to leave it alone. • Avoid going into your attic; do not use it as a storage area.• If you do go in, make every effort not to disturb the insulation.• If you must disturb the insulation, leave the attic immediately after.• A dust mask will NOT protect you. A special mask, requiring fitting and training, is required to filter

asbestos.• Seal any openings to the attic, such as around recessed light fixtures .

Renovations and RemodelingWhen renovating or remodeling, anything from rewiring the ceiling light fixtures to installing a skylight could disturb the insulation. Get a recommendation from a certified asbestos contractor. This is not a do-it-yourself project.

Is Vermiculite Still on the Market?Vermiculite insulation is still available on the market. Anything produced after 1990, however, will not be from the Libby mine. Vermiculite from other sources does not contain asbestos.

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®TERMITES


In nature, termites are recyclers of dead wood and plants, natures cleanup crew. In your home, termites are a pest that can cause serious damage. The annual damage caused by termites across North America is about two billion dollars. There are two good reasons that termites can cause such a lot of damage -

They often go unnoticed. When 1. termites enter a house they don’t walk around in plain sight, instead they chew their way along inside wood, following the grain, never coming to the surface. Once they have had their fill, they return to the colony in the soil outside. Many wood destroying insects such as carpenter ants damage wood by excavating the 2. wood to build a nest. Termites actually eat the wood. As a result, the damage continues to spread. An average size colony of subterranean termites can consume one foot of 2X4 in about 4 months.

What’s worse than a termite? A termite with wings! In the spring, it’s possible to see a winged termite. The wings are only temporary. This is one way that new colonies can form. Winged reproductives swarm and land a distance away from the colony. When they land, they shed their wings and attempt to form a new colony. If you see winged termites, you know there is termite activity in the area.

Is it a Termite or an Ant?To the untrained eye, termites look like white ants. To an entomologist, they are completely different. Termites are not ants at all. Even to the untrained eye, it’s easy to tell the difference. The illustration above shows an ant on the left and a termite on the right. The ant has a narrow waist and elbowed antennae. The termite has a broad waist and straight antennae.

Subterranean TermiteThe subterranean termite is the most common species in North America. They are creamy white in color. As the name suggests, subterranean termites build their colonies underground. Subterranean termites cannot expose their bodies to open air for any length of time or they dehydrate and die. Foraging worker termites build shelter tubes to span exposed areas. A shelter tube is a tunnel made of mud. For example, the shelter tube illustration on the next page spans an open area across a concrete footing of a deck. The termites are now protected as they make their way from the soil to the wood deck post.


Formosan TermiteThe formosan termite is an exotic species of termite accidentally introduced to the United States from China. Formosan termites are often called super termites because they have much more destructive power than subterranean termites. Formosan termites are larger and more aggressive, they have much larger colonies and can establish secondary colonies in moist wood in a house and do not need to return to the soil. Formosan termites are found in humid coastal and subtropical regions including Hawaii, Florida, South Carolina, Georgia and Louisiana.

Drywood TermitesDrywood termites don’t need as much moisture to survive as subterranean termites do. They don’t need constant contact with the soil so they can infest and create colonies in multiple locations throughout the home such as the attic and exterior wood members. They don’t build shelter tubes like the subterranean termite. The colonies are usually much smaller so their potential for damage is less. The down side is, there may be multiple colonies, so locating and treating may be more difficult.

TreatmentChemical barrier: The most common treatment method for subterranean and formosan termites is injection of a termitacide into the soil around the home to create a barrier between the home and the termite colony. A successful treatment requires that there are no areas of wood soil contact that could create a termite bridge over the barrier.

Baiting system: In-ground baiting systems are becoming a popular method for dealing with subterranean termites. The baiting systems ultimately result in worker termites carrying a chemical back to the colony that causes the colony to die.

Fumigation: For drywood termites, whole house fumigation is often required. The entire house is tented and a fumigation gas released.

PreventionTermites are attracted to moist wood and soil. 1. Eliminate sources of water in and around the house. Repair plumbing leaks, redirect downspouts, improve land grading around the house.Break wood to soil contact. For example, wood stair 2. stringers and deck or porch skirting should be kept out of the dirt.Don’t store wood on the ground near the house. 3. Remove wood and plant debris from the yard. If you have a wood pile, it should be raised off the ground and located away from the wall of the house.If you live in a known termite area, be vigilant for signs 4. of infestation such as shelter tubes. Have your home inspected periodically by a termite inspection expert.New construction should incorporate termite 5. prevention strategies.

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