Asbestos removal and asbestos abatement should be left to a professional, but if you are a private homeowner and insist on a do-it-yourself approach this article provides some tips to minimize short-term and long-term safety issues for residential removal. If you are not a private home then residential asbestos removal is not even an option because NESHAPs regulations and similar state laws would be in effect and would require a professional asbestos abatement company.

Professional Asbestos Abatement Contractors?

A good tip would be before undertaking residential asbestos removal is to at least contact a professional asbestos abatement company to see what they would charge so that you can compare the effort and expense of each option.

The goal is to prevent asbestos fibers from getting airborne and to prevent dust being spread around that can linger.

• Keep the material wet to prevent dust from being kicked up
• Seal of the work area as best as possible to prevent spread of fibers
  
• Wear a P100 respirator and disposable coveralls
• Wet-wipe afterward - don't sweep or vacuum
• Double-bag the waste and dispose of at landfill that accepts asbestos waste
  

Remodeling in Older Homes

The information in this article also applies if you are doing any handyman type work in a home built before 1978. Even if your goal is something unrelated to asbestos abatement, you may encounter asbestos containing materials when doing your project. You may want to consider having the material tested first to see if it does contain asbestos.  This page will help interpret asbestos testing lab results.

Residential Asbestos Removal Activities Can Make Things Worse

The next tip before undertaking the asbestos removal process is to ask yourself if you really need to remove the asbestos containing material. Asbestos exposure dangers result from fibers being released into the air, and for many materials this does not happen unless the material becomes disturbed, often through remodeling type activities.

Attempting to remove asbestos material that is in good condition can make matters worse, leaving asbestos dust in the home that can be easily stirred-up for years to come. Mesothelioma and asbestosis are two of the asbestos diseases that can result.

Residential Asbestos Rules

There will also still be regulations that you have to follow for do-it-yourself asbestos removal:

• You can’t legally hire somebody to help you; you have to use volunteers (if you paid somebody, they would be operating without a license and would be subject to fines.)
• Some states still require that you get a permit
• The asbestos containing material must be disposed of in a landfill that accepts asbestos waste (this will generally require a fee.)

Asbestos Removal Plan

Once you are ready to begin the residential asbestos removal, there are several goals and tips to keep in mind:

• Keep the work area sealed as best as possible so as not to spread asbestos dust to other areas
• Keep the asbestos wet to minimize dust and airborne particles
• Wear proper protective gear
• When you are done, wet wipe everything – don’t vacuum or sweep
• Decontaminate yourself and your clothes last

The absolute main priority is not to contaminate your house with asbestos dust that will hang around for years. Dust can be more easily disturbed and more easily lead to asbestos exposure than a solid building material. Long term exposure is more of a concern than short term events.

Asbestos Abatement Protective Gear

• Half-face mask respirator with P100 cartridges (magenta) - asbestos fibers are very small, and other types of face masks will not offer protection. Note that facial hair prevents these from operating correctly, and asbestos exposure can occur.

• Coveralls, boots, rubber gloves – the goal here is just easier clean-up when you are done (exposure to skin is not a problem, just inhalation.) There have been many cases where families of asbestos works suffered asbestos disease because it was brought home on clothes. A disposable coverall can work great in this situation.

Water

Keeping the material wet is a key practice in asbestos abatement to prevent airborne fibers and dust. Plan accordingly and make sure you have the proper supplies, including covers to prevent water damage.

Clean-Up

Don’t vacuum or sweep, wet-wipe everything and throw this trash away with the asbestos waste. Clean yourself last, and make sure you don’t spread any dust on your clothes. Another tip is to “double-bag” your waste. The landfill may have specific requirements, so call ahead.

HEPA Air Purifier

HEPA filtered air purifiers can help to clean the air where the asbestos removal took place after everything has been cleaned-up and wet-wiped.

If you concerned about left over dust, one option might be to intentionally stir up the dust (leaf blowers, fans, etc…) and let the HEPA air purifiers handle it. You should only try intentionally stirring up the dust as the very last step after all visible dust has been thoroughly wet wiped up and in cases where you effectively seal the work area from the rest of the house.

HEPA filtered air purifiers can also be used continually in the room after the asbestos abatement occurred as an extra precaution.

Residential Asbestos Removal and Asbestos Abatement Conclusion

This article has listed some basic steps to take to more safely perform asbestos abatement and residential asbestos removal activities. The main focus in performing asbestos abatement and residential asbestos removal is to avoid contaminating the house and creating a long-term asbestos exposure problem. Before performing residential asbestos removal, get some quotes from professional asbestos abatement contractors to see if the cost might be justified.

• Do-it-Yourself Asbestos Removal
• More Do-it-Yourself Asbestos Abatement
• EPA Asbestos Page
• Asbestos Laws and Asbestos Regulations
• Mesothelioma Disease