Home Improvement : Removing Asbestos in Home Best Left to Pros
QUESTION: I plan to make some home improvements myself and insulate for better efficiency. I’m concerned about exposure to cancer-causing asbestos. What materials should I be particularly careful handling?
ANSWER: Asbestos may be present in many materials in your home. It can even be found in newer homes. Asbestos becomes a hazard when the materials are deteriorating or you disturb them when making improvements.
If you find asbestos-containing materials, do not try to remove them yourself. Have them professionally removed. Your regional Environmental Protection Agency office can advise you about selecting a professional.
Some materials where asbestos may be present in your home are: attic, wall, pipe or heating duct insulation, textured paint, wall patching (spackling) compounds, roofing materials, floor tile, wood-burning fireplace and stove door gaskets, and some kitchen and laundry appliances.
When you inhale the tiny air-borne asbestos fibers, they become lodged in your lung tissues. They are suspected of causing lung cancer up to decades after you inhaled them. Asbestos exposure may also cause digestive tract and other cancers.
In most cases, asbestos-containing materials should be left alone. For example, undisturbed pipe or duct insulation that is in good condition does not release many asbestos fibers into the air.
If you are concerned about a particular material in your home, a person experienced with asbestos (a plumber, building or heating contractor) can often make a reasonable judgment about whether it may contain asbestos. You can also have samples professionally tested for asbestos.
Asbestos can become airborne from handling materials, even in good condition. If you sand or high-speed polish tile flooring, asbestos may be released. Drilling into shingles or insulation can also release asbestos.
If you are going to work on the insulation, tiling or wall coverings, seal off the area as well as possible from the rest of your house. Always wear protective clothing and wear a certified respirator approved for asbestos.
Always wet the material with a hand sprayer that provides a fine water mist. Damp materials release less asbestos fibers into the air. Adding a small amount of dish or laundry detergent improves the wetting action.
You can write to me at the address below for Utility Bills Update No. 271 showing a list of materials and common products in the home that may contain asbestos, a Consumer Products Safety Commission guideline for working around asbestos-containing materials, and a list of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Regional Offices and telephone numbers for their asbestos specialists. Please include $1.50 and a self-addressed stamped business-size envelope.
Igniter on Gas Stove Should Be Replaced
Q: I have an energy-efficient gas stove with spark igniters. One of the igniters stopped working. Will I waste much gas by just using matches to light the seldom-used burners?
A: If you have ever tried to light a gas stove with a match, you know the match often goes out and unburned gas escapes into your room air. This not only wastes gas, but it pollutes the air in an efficient airtight house.
It is an easy job to replace a stove igniter. First be sure to disconnect all the electricity to your stove. Then unscrew the cover over the defective igniter. Remove its wire from the igniter control module (often in the back of the stove). Install the new igniter and attach its wire.
Try Vinegar Soak to Unclog Shower Head
Q: I installed a special low-flow shower head several years ago to save hot water. Some of the tiny spray holes have gotten clogged. How can I clean it to get a good shower water pattern again?
A: The holes in most low-flow shower heads are very tiny. Depending on the mineral content in your water, they can get clogged. Try filling a plastic bag with warm vinegar. Secure it around the shower head with a rubber band so the shower head is immersed in the vinegar.
Try your shower head again after about a half an hour of soaking. If it is still clogged, try running some very fine wire through the holes. Separated stranded picture hanging wire may be fine enough to fit in the holes.
Letters and questions to Dulley, a Cincinnati-based engineering consultant, may be sent to James Dulley, Los Angeles Times, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45244.
