How to Repair Your Home After Asbestos Removal
Someone will tell you that getting back to your normal life after a disaster takes some time. You need to make a lot of adjustments, repairs, and replacements to restore your home to its original state. Asbestos is a serious problem and can be disastrous for any home. In addition, construction products made from asbestos pose serious health risks such as cancer if inhaled. However, if asbestos is detected early, a plan to remove it safely can start and you can secure your home and your family. Once your home has been tested positive for asbestos, licensed and experienced professionals should begin the removal process. But what do you do after it has been removed? How do you go back to your normal day-to-day life? Keep it here to find a few tips and tricks that will come in handy for the restoration of your home.
Common Home Areas Affected by Asbestos
Old homes are more susceptible to asbestos disasters due to the construction products used back in the day. Some of the common areas where you may find asbestos include:
-Roofs and roof shingles
-Gutters
-Ceilings
-Floor tiles and other floorings such as vinyl
-Attic
-Walls with textured paint
-Textiles
-Plaster and cement
-Water tanks
-Pipes
-Bath panels
-Toilet seats and cistern
-Behind fuse boxes
-Sprayed insulation coatings
-Window panels
Tips to Apply When Repairing Your Home
Claim Insurance
An asbestos disaster is likely to cause a dent in your pockets. However, with home insurance, the load will be lighter as they take care of some repair expenses. Hire a lawyer to help you navigate the whole process. The insurance company may not cover the full repair cost, but it is better to have something than nothing.
Hire trusted contractors
The contractors you choose to restore your house can either make or break your home. You can stick to the original contractors who built your house or search for top recommended contractor companies to do the job for you. You want to avoid hiring inexperienced contractors who are likely to worsen the situation of the house.
Do a full assessment
With house repairs, it is easy to miss some critical areas that need repairs. For instance, you may only plan to do roof repairs, but the roof shingles are also affected and need repair. Therefore, it is crucial that when making repairs, you do so at once to avoid missing essential sections. A professional contractor can assess the extent of damage caused by asbestos and give a comprehensive list of areas that require repair.
If you are doing it, do it right
The cost of repairing your house after asbestos removal can be overwhelming. You may be tempted to ignore some areas or hire cheap contractors to do the job for you. Take your time during the process to ensure you do the necessary repairs the right way. The last thing you want is to have leaks in your drainage system because you did not want to hire a commercial caulking contractor.
What to do after Asbestos Removal
Asbestos removal greatly affects the condition of a house. Before the house is restored to its original state, you must do a lot of repairs. You can enlist the services of custom home builders to help you with the repair work. The advantage of getting custom home builders is that they will handle all repairs and enable you to save on the costs of acquiring independent contractors for each repair job.
Clean-up
Asbestos soils a lot of materials and items in your house. The first step is to do a thorough clean-up of every single place in your house. If you suspect any items or materials could have any asbestos remains, gather them while wearing gloves, properly seal and label them in heavy-duty bags and dispose of them of. You should also get rid of the clothes and gloves you wore during the disposal. Getting rid of everything ensures that you avoid recontamination of the area. Some of the tips you can apply during the clean-up stage include:
-Only use the services of a licensed asbestos abatement professional for safe removal.
-Wear protective gear when handling equipment, such as gloves and protective eyewear.
-Avoid using power tools to remove asbestos as they only release more asbestos.
-Avoid high-pressure cleaners as they spread asbestos debris further.
Once you have gotten rid of all asbestos-soiled materials, thoroughly clean the area using detergent, wet mops, and rugs. In addition, you should use a recommended vacuum that does not spread any asbestos dust that could have been left behind. After you have finished cleaning, an asbestos inspector should return to re-evaluate the area. The double check-up is to ensure the asbestos threat is finally gone. During the entire clean-up process, ensure that you and your family are far from the site and only return once the officials verify it is safe.
Roof Repair
The roof is a critical component of any house, and its installation must follow best practices and adhere to recommended construction standards. If asbestos has been discovered in your roof, roof shingles, or gutters, you run the risk of you or your loved ones inhaling the toxic asbestos particles. A licensed asbestos abatement professional will remove the damaged roof, and you can proceed to install another roof. You can get in touch with a roof company to recommend durable roofs for your home repair after asbestos removal. Some of the steps you need to follow for a successful roof repair include:
Remove and clean the roof bed – roof removal is not enough to keep asbestos particles at bay. You need to clean the roof bed, old nails, and rot to ensure no remains of asbestos are present. This saves you the cost of repairing and removing the roof again.
Repair in favorable weather – Choose a not too windy day and not too hot to do the roof repair. Too much wind could spread any asbestos debris to other areas, and an extremely hot day can make it difficult to do the repairs as some materials become moldable in hot weather and can mix with any remaining asbestos debris.
Hire a professional – If the roof repairs are minor, you can do them yourself. However, if the repair requires removing and installing the entire roof, it is best if you consult a roofing contractor. The professional will recommend viable roofing solutions suitable for all-weather seasons and install the roof the right way.
Floor
The floor is another critical area in any house. It is the first thing your guests see when they visit your house. One way you can repair your home after asbestos removal is to invest in quality flooring. There is no way you can tell that a floor contains asbestos by simply looking. Floor tiles or vinyl floors must not be drilled or ground. If asbestos is present only on the surface, it can be polished using standard surface polishing to remove any asbestos debris completely. You should not be worried as the abatement process is thorough with retesting after removal for any signs of remains. However, if the asbestos is present in the tile and glue, the floor must be removed. When you choose to repair an asbestos-damaged floor, some of the factors you need to keep in mind when selecting a floor are:
Suitability – Not all floor types are ideal for every home. Depending on your climate, select a floor type that complements your weather.
Budget –Floors come in a wide variety and have varying prices. Ensure you pick a floor within your budget.
Durability – Invest in a good quality floor that is scratch resistant, spill-proof, and moisture resistant. You want your floor to serve you for a long time.
Types of Floors to Repair Your Home
If you are wondering what floor is ideal for your home repair, you can choose from various options. A commercial floor care company can help assess the extent of damage caused by asbestos and recommend the best approach to repair your floors.
Hardwood Flooring
If you previously had wood flooring, you can choose wood flooring refinishing to revamp your floor. Unfortunately, replacing hardwood floors is quite costly. However, once your floor has been cleaned and free from asbestos, you can follow the following steps to restore your floor.
-Gently wipe the floor and prep the area
-Scuff the floor, then vacuum
-Apply the finish
These steps will ensure that your floor is as good as new and save you floor replacement expenses.
Vinyl flooring
Vinyl floors are commonly affected by asbestos. Removing the vinyl floors can cause damage to the floors and attract more expenses. The best way to deal with vinyl floor repairs is to cover the tiles with a wall-to-wall carpet. The carpet is sealed to prevent it from lifting and exposing the vinyl floor. Apart from being cost-effective, the wall-to-wall carpet comes in multiple designs and colors, is soundproof and stain-resistant. It is a quick and easy method to repair your home after asbestos removal.
Walls
The walls of a house hold the building together and frame the house. Significant asbestos damage may necessitate wall replacement as per the recommendation of your contractor. If this is the case for your house, brick masonry might be the way to go to save on costs and get strong, durable walls. Brick masonry comes in different variations. Some of the most common types include:
-Cement brickwork
-Mud Brick Work
-The Highest Quality Brick Masonry
It is advantageous to use brick masonry in repairing your house walls for the following reasons:
-If you want to add a layer of protection to your house against fire, you should go for brick masonry, as it is non-combustible.
Bricks have a high resistance to pests, extreme weather conditions, natural disasters, and rot. Once you install them, your house will last for a long time.
-Given that asbestos is common in ancient old houses, brick walls can give your home a modern facelift with an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
-Bricks also increase the thermal mass of the house. This saves you costs when hiring a HVAC contractor, as you can skip heating installations because the house is able to store heat.
-Using bricks also improves the resale value of your house. If you ever move or sell your house, you stand to earn more than the intended resale value.
-This method of repair is also cost-effective as it uses less labor and materials.
Basement
Although the basement of the house is not a busy area, if not properly checked and repaired after asbestos removal, the foundation of your house could be at risk. If the foundation is affected, the whole house could crumble down as the structure and stability will be disrupted. Such issues can reduce your home repair budget. To safeguard your basement, basement contractors can assess the area and check for any repairs. The most common issues could be water leaks or cracks that allow moisture to penetrate through. The best repair method would be to do a waterproofing the basement to secure any holes and cracks.
Although we cannot predict disasters, we can choose how to deal with the aftermath. Although house repairs can be expensive, with a few tips and tricks, you can restore your home to its original or even better state. The key is to consult with the professionals in the industry to advise you on the best possible ways to make the repairs. Better yet, you save on costs if you can get a contractor company to perform all the repairs. Do not forget home insurance as it can be your saving grace amidst the costly repairs.
