Very scared and frustrated

[uz]

We remodelled our bathroom (home built in 73) last year in june. There was linoleum flooring in the bathroom about 24 square feet that was removed as well as the ductwork that we cut a piece of that contained asbestos. We didn't know at that time and therefore no precaution was taken. After a month or so i found out that the the duct work contained asbestos and the linoleum may also have so i had some professionals come in and vacuum my house with a HEPA vacuum. I'm now so scared that the asbestos may still be in my house, on my clothes in my closets, on our beds etc. I have a two year old in the house and I'm scared to death. I feel I have jeapordized his health. I'm literally obsessed by these thoughts and can't think of anything else. My husband is totally oblivious to this. Even last year when I got the house vacuumed he thought i was over reacting to the situation. What should I do now? is my house totally contaminated? I need help!!!!!!

[DK]

I'd cover every surface with new paint, tile or whatever. I'd wash all clothes and I'd dry clean those that can't be washed. I'd buy a good hepa filter - about $400.

Then, I'd relax and enjoy what little life I may have left.

[Art]

For decades people didn't know a thing about asbestos and it was everywhere. Almost all are still alive. Asbestos workers, particularly ones who smoked and worked in clouds of asbestos dust, are the ones who had most of the problems. If you did not sand the floor off you probably didn't cause much of an issue. Who knows what was done in the house before you even moved in. That should give you something to really worry about. We used to play with mercury when I was a kid. Last week they closed a school and homes because kids found mercury to play with. What about the homes me and my kid friends used mercury in when we were kids. Shouldn't all homes be checked? I would thoroughly vaccuum and if still worried, call in a company that checks for asbestos contamination. But if you find it, when you go to sell, in most states you have to report it. By the way, what about the rest of your duct work. If the asbestos is flaking and in your ductwork, your air is blowing by it right now.

[dadiOH]

Pay attention to your husband.

[dadiOH]

Also, there is no asbestos in linoleum. As far as your ducts go, exactly where and in what form was the "asbestos"? As far as fear goes, would it help to know that asbestos doesn't cut down people like the grim reaper's scythe? That it takes years of heavy, pretty much continuous exposure to loose particles to be detrimental (if then)?

[Guy Aerts]

Actually, there was, and in vinyl flooring too. The Vinyl stuff was usually labeled as VAT, for "Vinyl-Asbestos Tile"

[uz]

Art thanks for your reassuring reply. We got the duct work changed as soon as we found out and got an asbestos abatement company to do it. They even did air samples after the duct work was taken out and it was found at .002/cubic or something which was considered as equivalent to ambient air levels which i believe is normal in the air. Anyway thanks again for your reassuring reply.

Art wrote:

[Tim Killian]

Did you go to school in the 1950s? Every school had asbestos pipe insulation and some even had asbestos in the ceiling tiles. Like radon, asbestos is one of those scare words that makes otherwise sane people freak out and do foolish things.

Since we're not dying by the millions from asbestos-related lung diseases, I suspect the threat from this substance is highly exaggerated. IOW, quit worrying, be happy.

[EXT]

I went to school in the '50s. We were given loose asbestos powder to mix with water to make modeling material for art class. I can also remember removing an old gravity hot air furnace from our house and stripping off all the asbestos paper that the pipes were wrapped in.

I am still alive, 65, with good lungs. D>> >>

[uz]

[Steve B]

Yes, you do! Make an appointment with a psychologist immediately. The asbestos is not a big deal, and you are making one out of it.

Now, what to do about the asbestos:

Asbestos is dangerous when inhaled. It gets into the air usually during construction or demolition, and looks like dust or little slivers of light floating. Once the dust settles, it just sits there until disturbed.

Hiring a cleaning crew would be the best thing. After they remove any loose dust, the rest will go away as you wash clothes, dust things, etc. Get a couple of good air purifiers, as they are just a good thing anyway to remove dust and pollen.

You had a small bathroom rebuilt. If you had your living, dining, and family rooms and hallway all worked on, I would be a little more concerned.

You are wise to be careful. But just have it cleaned, go see your shrink and find out why you reacted so strongly, and don't worry because it's not really a big deal.

Your behavior is a tipoff. This time it is a little asbestos. Next time it will be whatever is on Oprah or 48 hours, or whatever.

Be sure, be safe. But you have a much higher chance of an airliner falling on your house than getting significant asbestos exposure from a house built in the 70s.

Steve

[HeyBub]

Nope. Not even those who replaced asbestos brake pads all day long for years. The only occupational group that was ever affected were asbestos miners.

[barry]

That can be taken various ways. First, relax. If you ever thought you were perfectly secure, it ain't so.

USCG has done and published many studies on the dangers of asbestos. Distilled: particles from about 1/2 to about 1.5 micron across can get into the lungs and not be expelled. To be exposed to much of that, you need to be breaking up dry asbestos. Simple water spray reduces concentration of such particles to zero. Again, relax. You're going to die from something, and it should be enjoyable, not result from hypertension.

J

[Art]

Those are the only ones who won the big law suits. But my wife's uncle just died of asbestos lung disease.... he worked around it in a factory for 30 years.

[Salmon Egg]

You have to realize that there is an asbestos-industrial complex making money off of scared people. Most of the danger homeowners face from asbestos will come from stirring it up. Give up smoking, and most of hazard will disappear right off the bat. The people most harmed by asbestos are those who smoked those little cigars that they had for lighting welding torches. Moreover, there are two forms of asbestos that were used most. About 80% is of a type that is rather benign compared to the other one. The type can easily be determined looking at a fiber of the material under a polarizing microscope. My suggestion is don't worry.

Next, it is time to pooh pooh the radon-industrial complex.

Bill

-- Ferme le Bush

[dadiOH]

Linoleum is made of linseed oil and wood (or cork) powder applied over a backing. You know something that says otherwise?

[hallerb]

The NEXT biggie will be treated wood with guys in moon suits removing it...........

Heck the feds are mandating scrubbers on bakeries because the smell of bread baking is supoposedly dangerous..........

Anyone who smokes today is a complete fool

[Jim McLaughlin]

Flat assed wrong. Shipyard workers who worked on lots of Navy ships from the '30s to the '70s.

[Li]

What's really funny is that people run around wearing asbestos everyday and admire how beautiful it is. One form of asbestos worn frequently as jewelry is Tiger's Eye. I just love trotting that out and watching people's eyes goggle. I'm a lapidary and I do take extra precautions when cutting asbestos containing stones. Once polished and set though, they are perfectly safe. Well, they are safe in the rough form too but grinding can lead to problems.

[Captain America]

5 gallons of gas and a match should solve your problem quite nicely.