Asbestos, often found in older homes, can be removed safely

By Elizabeth Rhodes, Seattle Times

If you want to cause homeowner anxiety, there's no better word to do it than "asbestos." Implicated in 5,000 U.S. deaths annually, it's nearly ubiquitous in its presence, yet little understood in its threat.

Here's a primer on what homeowners need to know.

Q. What is asbestos and how common is it?

A. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fiber that's found in many other places worldwide. Because asbestos fibers are strong, flexible, heat-resistant and very durable, the mineral has been used in more than 3,000 products. Among them are vehicle brake shoes, cigarette filters - and even school ceilings and floors. As a result, some experts speculate that nearly every adult may have inhaled some asbestos at some time. Much smaller than human hairs, asbestos fibers are essentially invisible.

Q. Why should people be concerned about asbestos?

A. A known carcinogen, it's deadly when inhaled. Those whose work brought them in repeated contact with asbestos fibers (as well as their family members) make up the bulk of cases. Moreover, different types of asbestos have different risks. But there's no known safe level of asbestos exposure, and lung or chest cancer can occur up to 30 years after it's inhaled.

Q. Isn't asbestos illegal now?

A. No. That's a common misconception. While it's no longer used in some products - toothpaste is one example - asbestos has never been outlawed wholesale in U.S. manufacturing. It's still being included in some construction and other products, including asphalt roofing, and their labels don't always reveal this. Asbestos has also been the subject of numerous investigations, 200,000-plus lawsuits and billions of dollars in claims that have forced 60 companies into bankruptcy.

Q. Is it common to find asbestos in homes?

A. Absolutely. Asbestos first began to make its way into American homes in the mid-1940s and was still being found in some interior home products into the mid-'90s. Theoretically that means homes built in the early 20th century might not contain it - unless they've been remodeled in some way, which of course, most have been. As a result, Bill Walker, whose firm, Walker Specialty Construction, does a lot of asbestos removal in the Seattle area, estimates that any home built before 1995 probably contains some form of it.

Q. Where might residential asbestos be found?

A. There are roughly two dozen different types of products where asbestos is used - everything from cement siding shingles to furnace ductwork insulation to window putty, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Add to that textured "popcorn" ceilings, artificial fire logs (the sort found in some gas fireplaces) the backing on sheet vinyl flooring, some roofing and plumbing products.

Q. Where is it most commonly found in homes?

A. Major uses are in heating systems, exterior-siding cement shingles and popcorn ceilings. (Note: Not all popcorn ceilings contain asbestos.) Another is sheet vinyl flooring, manufactured prior to 1980, that had paper backing containing asbestos. Q. Is in-home asbestos always dangerous?

A. No. Asbestos is only a health problem when its fibers become airborne, as can happen if an asbestos-containing popcorn ceiling begins to disintegrate. Additionally, some asbestos products only become hazardous if disturbed - like removing 1950s-'60s era Nicolite paper that was used as an underlayment for cedar shake roofs.

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