Between the 1950s, through to the early 1980s, popcorn ceiling were all the rage. It was a popular interior design feature at the time and countless people decided to have popcorn ceilings put up throughout their houses. In addition to being fashionable at the time, this ceilings were known for concealing imperfections in the ceiling as well as absorbing and dampening noise. Because it did not have a smooth surface, however, there was difficulty keeping it clean, a definite drawback.
Popcorn Ceilings and Asbestos Asbestos fibres were used in the installation of many popcorn ceilings. Because of its fire resistant properties, asbestos was considered an excellent building material. The major danger associated with asbestos exposure arises when the material containing asbestos fibres is disturbed. Homes and apartment buildings that have asbestos popcorn ceilings, for this reason may be required to go through the removal process. Tenants, however, must vacate those homes during the process of removal.
Unsuspecting Homeowners For many years, it was not known that asbestos fibres could cause people major health problems simply from exposure. Some of the health problems include cancer, Mesothelioma and numerous breathing problems. Many homeowners chose to take out the popcorn ceiling, as the trend changed and something else became fashionable. Since most homeowners were not aware of the damaging effects of the asbestos, most who removed this ceilings did so without the benefit of protective clothing. This exposed everyone in those households to the asbestos dust that was released then circulated within those homes, as a result of the removal process, Lawsuits were filed by many people who, at the time did not know that their ceilings were made from asbestos nor about the dangers linked to the material. They sued because they had been exposed to material that had the potential to be extremely hazardous to their health while removing this ceiling.
Does Your Popcorn Ceiling Contain Asbestos? Your popcorn ceiling may contain asbestos if it was installed between the 1950s and the 1980s. To determine if this is in fact the case, the only way to check for the presence of asbestos, is to have a certified specialist come to your home and test the ceiling. If the results are positive, you may opt to have the ceiling removed, but are advised to refrain from attempting to do the job yourself. This is because asbestos when disturbed, as in the removal process, becomes toxic.
Professionals will normally seal off one room completely and remove all the asbestos contaminated ceilings, in the effort to control the disturbed asbestos fibres, before moving on to the next room. It is well worth it to have the process properly done by a professional even though it is quite lengthy having asbestos removed.
Final Thoughts If you have no way of knowing if the popcorn ceiling you removed yourself contained asbestos, it is best to be checked at regular intervals for the numerous conditions that can be manifested from exposure to asbestos. Many of the health issues associated with asbestos inhalation; do not come to light until numerous years after initial exposure to the product.
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