The History of Asbestos-Insulated Wire

Electric wiring has been done for years, and of course insulation must be used to prevent safety hazards. However asbestos which was commonly used years ago and can still be found in older buildings rarely, is a hazard. Though today it is almost never used anymore, many people still are worried about the effects it has and want to remove it wherever. While it is recommended to hire a professional to do the job for you, here is what you can do yourself.

Find Out If Your House May Have Asbestos?

A general guideline is that if your house was built before 1978, it may have asbestos in the electrical wiring insulation. If you do not know when your home was built, you may can contact the previous owner or realtor. Or you can contact the city and ask them about the building permit, ect.

You can also hire a professional asbestos inspector if you would prefer, however make sure that they are the real deal. Or you can take a sample to a lab for them to perform the test, however that would require you to open up your walls to do so.

How & Why It Was Used?

It was used on many building items and supplies for more than 200 years. However, in more recent years it has been banned for the health risk that comes with it.

The reason why asbestos was used so much was the simple fact that it was a low cost and flame retardant. It was normally sprayed onto the walls or wires, sometimes even in embedded in regular insulation that was used. More than 3000 products used asbestos in them during the years of using it. Most commonly is was sprayed directly onto the electric wiring or walls, however it could also be found in your general insulation.

What Are Their Risks & Dangers?

Since asbestos is a fine dust, even one breathe in a tainted area can cause you to get sick. It has been proven to cause mesothelioma and other lung cancer types. Though if it is in a small area, it should not cause any health problems. However, it is a good idea to have any asbestos removed from your electric wiring and walls just as a good safety precaution anyways.

When Was It Stopped Being Used?

Different data that gives different time lines, however it appears that they have stopped being used sometime between the last 70's into the early 90s.

How To Remove It?

While some people do attempt to remove it themselves, it will require a lot of time and biohazard protection(including a EPA approved air filter). So it would be best to hire a professional contractor to do the job for you, so you do risk contaminating the rest of the building. Remember that asbestos can easily float into the air and land on clothes, skin and etc. So if you do the job yourself, make sure to tape up and seal off the room so it cannot escape the room that you will be doing this in.

Do plenty of research ahead of the time before you do begin or hire anyone. Information is key to prevent any damage before hand.