Monday, May 19, 2014

Asbestos Survey and Inspection Services - What and Why?

So what is an "Asbestos Survey" and why would one need to obtain this service?

An Asbestos Survey is an inspection and sampling of suspicious building materials commonly found in residential and commercial structures.  There is no expiration date of asbestos containing building materials - they aren't illegal as many may think. Asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral, is found as an additive in a wide variety of building materials which include, but are not limited to: flooring, glues, mastic, joint compounds, roofing products, insulation products, coatings, decorative applied textures, and ceiling tiles.

So what is the reason for identifying products that may contain asbestos?

If renovating a structure and disturbing materials that may contain asbestos, the contractor should educate the owner regarding the potential of exposure to asbestos.  Securing the testing and inspection services of an accredited asbestos inspector during the project planning period can determine if the project will require the services of an asbestos abatement firm. In the state of Georgia, a licensed and qualified firm is required to handle, remove and dispose of asbestos that contains over 1% asbestos.

What is a "Clearance Letter", which is required by my jurisdiction prior to the issuance of a demolition permit?

During the course of demolition, asbestos containing materials could be disturbed and release asbestos containing fibers into the air, causing a public health risk.  This is the reason many jurisdictions require evidence of a "Clearance Letter", a letter from an accredited asbestos inspector verifying that the structure is free of regulated asbestos containing building materials.  Additionally, Solid Waste laws in the state could dictate that the asbestos be disposed of prior to demolition in a regulated manner.

Southern Demolition and Environmental provides asbestos inspection, asbestos abatement and demolition services in the metro Atlanta area.  If you would like to discuss your next project or schedule an asbestos survey, call 404-478-7142.


31 comments:

  1. We have a bunch of asbestos in an old building that I recently bought. Would it be best to just demolish a part of the structure, or to simply clean out the asbestos. I know that they can be quite dangerous for your health. http://www.syracusehaulers.com/demolition.html

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  2. Tony, it is usually easier to clean out asbestos than to demolish a building, and completely rebuild it. There are quite a few companies out there that specialize in asbestos. As long as you get them inspected on a regular basis they shouldn't be too big of a problem though. http://www.maddixexcavating.com/services.html

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  3. Thanks for clearing that up. I've heard so much about asbestos and the damage it can do, but it looks like it's really pret5ty benign unless you start grinding it up and breathing the fragments. If I were a demolition contractor, I'd make sure every house I did was asbestos-free.

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  4. I didn't know that buildings with asbestos require a "clearance letter" in order to be demolished. It makes since though, considering asbestos can cause cancer. Even after the building is cleared for demolition, is there a special way that they handle the demolition of the building? I'm curious is they are safer in how they take the building apart since it once contained asbestos. http://www.abledemolition.ca

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  5. This makes a lot of sense. I feel rather foolish though, because originally I thought that if you needed something demolished, you simply called up the company, told them when and where, they did their work, and you paid them. Apparently not. The thought never occurred to me that there would be safety issues with the materials that would be removed or demolished. I guess when you're going to make that big of a mess, though, a permit of some kind should be required. Thanks for sharing! http://nwprohaul.net/Services/

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  6. I would love to work for a demolition company. How can I get a job with a demolition company? I think it would be so stress-relieving.

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  7. I think that anytime a project gets out of hand, it's best to just destroy it and start again. It gives you a fresh start and a new opportunity of doing it right this time. I think that it can only benefit you.

    Jim Tracy | http://www.ascotdemolition.com.au/services/demolition/

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  8. Asbestos is one of the things that makes demolition of older buildings dangerous. Usually even before breaking down the building they will search it for asbestos and remove it. This way surrounding homes and businesses are not damaged by the asbestos.
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  9. Great article ...Thanks for your great information, the contents are quiet interesting.I will be waiting for your next post.I bookmarked this blog further more information.
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  10. There used to be a beautiful building where I lived. It burned down and they decided to demolish and redo. I am excited to see what plan they have for it and how it will turn out. Hope its an upgrade to what it was before. http://www.lientransportation.com/demolition.html

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  11. If a building is full of asbestos enough, it does need to be demolished. That does mean both commercial and residential as well. That way everyone can be safe and it can be taken care of in full.
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  12. I'm looking for a demolition contractor to help with my husbands business. He is in the construction company and needs one of his projects demolished before he can get started. Do you know where I can contact one of these companies? He would really appreciate it! http://www.dallaswattdemo.com/demolition_services.htm

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  13. There was this big building close to my house that they are going to demolish later this week. It had all kinds of asbestos in it, but it also wasn't earthquake sound. I think that it is for the best that they are knocking it down. It just wasn't safe to be inside of it. http://www.brajkovichdemolition.com.au/

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  15. The city is planning on demolishing an ornament building in my town. I would like to hold a little memorial before that happens. I think it would be good to show the proper respect. http://www.abledemolition.ca

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  16. A fire started in one of my buildings which caused pretty bad fire damage done to one of my offices. I thought that I could fix it by replacing everything, but it still stinks really bad of smoke. I want to look at getting a demolition crew to take it down so I can rebuild. http://www.honcdestruction.com/

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  17. Asbestos is not something that I would ever want around my children. I now see the importance of getting homes tested for it. Hopefully most homes that have it have been demolished already. http://www.acdemolition.com.au/services

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  18. I've recently learned that the sheet rock in my home has asbestos in the material. It scares me that I may start to get affected by it. I'm thinking of taking down the walls and remodeling. If I need an interior demolition crew do I contact a demolition company, or do I do it myself? http://www.walsercontracting.ca/en/heavy_metal.html

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  19. I have thought about checking my house for asbestos before. I think it's important to make sure there isn't anything wrong with your home and that the air you are breathing is free of harmful chemicals. I am even thinking of doing a demolition on part of my house just to be safe. http://www.alpartscrapironandmetals.com

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