If you have an older home in the Newcastle area built prior to 1980, there is a good chance there is asbestos in an area of the house. The practice of using the material became banned after 1980 for housing in Australia.
The only way to ensure that you are safe is to have suspicious elements from your NSW home tested. Before handling the material, yourself, strongly consider using removalists when renovating, even if you are unsure it is, in fact, the genuine substance.
Asbestos is an option that many found useful in so many ways for building back in its heyday. Still, the same properties rendering it beneficial also made it challenging to take out and dispose. Its strengths included being fireproof, durable, and an overall rigid, solid material.
On the flip side, it is fibrous or “friable” and exceptionally brittle. The substance deems a health risk when handled inappropriately, suggesting that only professional teams like those at https://bdssasbestosremoval.com.au do so for optimum safety. But can the average citizen remove the particles in a DIY capacity? Let us move further into the topic.
Guidance On Asbestos Removal In NSW
State governments offer varied laws on the removal of asbestos. NSW dictates that an area below 10 square meters is legal for DIY removal. Strong recommendations advise that you only do so if you have a considerable understanding of the risks associated with doing so and plan to follow the requirements necessary to do the job appropriately and safely.
There is a legitimate fear that comes with the material due to the chance of contracting a related illness. Still, there are numerous precautions you can implement to minimize these chances significantly. Unfortunately, as a DIY amateur in the process, there is no guarantee that you will not become exposed even with each measure taken. Some tips for removing the legal limit for a DIY resident include:
- Disposal: Plan the method you intend to use for disposing of the particles. Asbestos does not stay in a nice, neat little package when you pull it out. It is brittle and breaks up, creating dust and debris.
Specific skip bin services are available for asbestos material. These are likely among the safest transport for those engaging in DIY removal. The wrapped material can go in the bin, and the trained professionals will haul it away to ensure proper disposal. You would merely need to call ahead to schedule for the day you plan to do the work, so the bin is there and accessible.
- Vacate: If you are the homeowner or a landlord for the property, ensure that any residents, family members, or tenants vacate the property on the day there will be a disturbance of the particles for the entire day.
That will give you the opportunity to have all the debris cleaned and disposed of to avoid anyone put at risk for exposure. You further want to advise surrounding neighbours that you will safely and within the laws be taking the materials out from a “10m2” area as a DIY project.
- Safety and Security: Ensure you have adequate disposal supplies, including de-nailing tools to remove the nails without disturbing the sheet, safety supplies, tape, and black plastic. You will need the appropriate clothing to protect from exposure which typically includes a hazmat coverall or suite, a facemask, rubber gloves, goggles, and boots.
According to guidelines, the asbestos you plan to take out should be wet down before removing and taking the sheets out gently without cracking them if possible. Make sure the plastic sheeting is accessible as soon as you take the panel out and always double wrap, which is a requirement for the substance.
The debris leftover needs vacuuming. Do not sweep. Go over it until it’s spotless, and then wrap the vacuum bag in double black plastic wrapping.
One primary reason most people choose to take risks on DIY removal is to spare the expenses. Disposal of the material is a substantial portion of the budget, so you might still have a decent cost. The skip bin is an option with the professionals hauling the waste for disposal.
Other than that, some DIY enthusiasts do their projects for the sheer pride of completing their own home projects believing the challenges that come with them are part of the experience.
What is important to remember in this particular scenario is that you’re not the only one you’re putting at risk with DIY asbestos pull-out. Anyone in the surrounding area is taking that risk with you whether the neighbours want to or not. You are making that choice for them. Find out the dos and don’ts for working with asbestos at https://www.asbestos.vic.gov.au/in-the-home/find-manage-remove-dispose/managing-asbestos/dos-and-donts-for-working-with-asbestos/.
Hiring A Team Of Professional Removalists
For anyone living in a home built before 1980, there is asbestos to remove from the house. Likely, there is much more than what is legally allowed for DIY removal in NSW (10m2). As a rule, the substance deems safe if no one touches it. But no one feels comfortable with it in their home under any circumstances.
The ideal scenario is to hire licensed contractors versed in pulling the material from homes daily. The professionals understand the risks. They know how to be safe themselves and keep everyone around them safe with adequate notifications and evacuations. They know the risks and how to take the appropriate precautions.
These are the people Newcastle residents need to look for to make their homes comfortable and safe for the family’s health. DIY is not only unsatisfactory when it comes to your well-being, but it affects others’ wellness around you. Open this link for guidelines on what not to do with this material.
Final Thought
When a homeowner takes the opportunity to do household projects themselves, they don’t often compromise their safety or risk others’ health in neighbouring homes.
While laws allow homeowners a certain degree of lenience in specific situations, including removing asbestos, some jobs should stringently remain at a professional level due to the risks. Safety and well-being should always be a priority. The ability to boast a DIY accomplishment is not worth risking your wellness or that of those around you.
