Asbestos is very dangerous and can lead to some serious health conditions, including a type of cancer known as mesothelioma. This is a very aggressive cancer with a high fatality rate. As such, asbestos exposure is something you want to avoid.
However, asbestos was still used in building materials into the 1970s. Anyone living in a house that is more than 50 years old has a very high risk of asbestos already being in their home. If you’re worried about this, can you identify it simply by looking around?
What was asbestos used in?
In some cases, you can identify areas where asbestos may have been used. For instance, it used to be common in popcorn ceilings and spray-on insulation. It was also used in pipe insulation, roll board, flooring felt, wall patching compounds and much more. In some cases, it was added to tiles, such as those used in an old bathroom.
You may be able to identify these products, and there may be some evidence of asbestos with its hair-like, crystalline structure. But the reality is that the asbestos particles that are a health hazard to you are microscopic. The risk is simply that you’ll breathe them in and they will then become trapped in your lungs, your abdomen or near other internal organs. This is where they can cause cancer.
But you cannot identify these individual particles. Many people breathe them in asbestos fibers without even being aware they’ve done so. If you have suffered harm or been diagnosed with mesothelioma, be sure you know what legal steps to take to protect your interests and your family’s future.
