Our 5-Step Guide to Safely Removing Asbestos Floor Tiles

Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring fibrous minerals that are effective insulators. Because of its strength and durability, it was dubbed as a “magic mineral” during the Industrial Revolution, and people widely used it in building homes, roads, and other materials to make them stronger. However, during the late-1800s, it was discovered that asbestos was highly toxic and can cause severe illnesses, including cancer.

While the use of asbestos is now regulated in many countries, many manufacturers still use this harmful material. Moreover, many of the older structures with asbestos are still standing to this day. The danger is when people inhale or ingest microscopic asbestos dust when it gets airborne.

These days, people are becoming more aware of the ill-effects of asbestos, and many homeowners want to get rid of its traces from their properties. Once you suspect your home to have this dangerous material, you can call a professional asbestos abatement company to handle the removal process. Doing it yourself requires great care and effort, and you must strictly adhere to your state’s safety regulations.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to safely removing asbestos floor tiles in your home:

Protect your family and neighbors from asbestos dust particles by isolating the contaminated area. Cover your doors, windows, and walls with thick plastic and duct tape. To make sure that the toxic fibers will not go into the air, wet your floors before you begin the removal process.

The leading cause of asbestos-related diseases is occupational exposure. For this reason, never attempt to remove asbestos floor tiles without wearing the right protective clothing. Make sure that all body parts are safe from these toxic dust particles. Put on coveralls, gloves, goggles, boots, and a professional-grade dust mask.

The most crucial thing to remember when removing asbestos flooring is to try to remove entire pieces of the tile. Chipping or breaking them into pieces will cause particles to become airborne, increasing your chances of ingestion and inhalation.

Use a sharp utility knife to separate the tiles from the floor. Lift the tiles one at a time, using a scraper. Gently put the tiles in a thick, sturdy bag for disposal.

After all the tiles are removed, spend additional time to clean the floor. Make sure to remove all excess dirt and dust using a wet towel or mop and liquid detergent. Change the water and the soap for each passing to prevent spreading the asbestos fibers.

Don’t forget to label the bags where you placed your broken floor tiles to contain hazardous materials. There are strict rules regarding the proper disposal of any asbestos contaminants. They cannot be simply thrown in garbage cans. To be on the safe side, contact your local government and find out its regulations.

This guide will help you remove asbestos from your home safely. If you are dealing with a larger floor area, it’s best to call in the pros to get the job done more efficiently.

If you live in the St. Louis area and are in need of professional asbestos removal , get in touch with ABC Enviroclean right away! We?re happy to help.

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