Would a House Built in the 70s Contain Asbestos?
Homeowners in the USA must take greater consideration in relation to asbestos than many other worldwide locations. This is because at the peak of the asbestos phenomenon, the USA accounted for approximately 60% of the global mining and manufacturing.
Although it is not used in residential construction today, if your house was built before the 1990s, there is a chance that it could still contain asbestos. Additionally, the further back you go in decades, the higher the chance. Therefore, properties made in the 1970s have a much higher chance of containing asbestos compared to homes in the 1980s and 1990s. We take a look at this in the below article together with info on what you can do.
Asbestos in the 70s in the USA
Asbestos was mined and produced in huge quantities in the USA during the 1900s until the late 1970s. Mechanized mining techniques were developed in the early 1900s that led to improved extraction rates. Additionally, many companies devised new ways to used asbestos, particularly in construction.
It was not until the late 1970s that the dangers of asbestos were explored in greater detail and taken seriously. After this point, the use of the hazard material was greatly reduced – the mines were decommissioned, and regulations were put in place.
Therefore, properties built before 1980 i.e., in the 1970s are likely to contain asbestos in some form.
Would Your Property Contain Asbestos?
As discussed above, if your property was built in the 1970s and hasn’t been updated or changed much, there is a greater chance that it contains asbestos.
The key point here, is the age of the various components inside your home. Just because a property was built in 1970, it doesn’t mean that all the fixtures and coverings are original. For example, you home may have had asbestos sidings originally. However, if they were changed in the 1990s, they probably won’t be asbestos based.
Therefore, before ordering testing kits, first look at the different types of asbestos products and assess if you home has anything matching. Next, look through your records and see if anything has been updated or replace since the house was built. You should then have a much clearer idea if any components contain asbestos or have been modernized.
What to look for?
Common asbestos products include sidings, textured ceilings, floor tiles, adhesive, and insulation. Without professional assistance, it is incredibly difficult to spot asbestos-based products. This is due to the wide variety of types, sizes, and variances from different manufacturers.
What to do if you suspect asbestos?
If you do suspect asbestos, check out our online store and consider ordering a sampling kit. Our testing kits give you everything you need to safely obtain samples to send off to our associated testing lab.
This includes PPE, an addressed envelope, easy-to-follow instructions, and sample storage bags. You can do this quickly, and once you have sent the samples off, our lab aims to test them within 72 hours of receipt. You will then receive a certificate that shows the results.
If the results are positive, the next step is to assess the quality of the asbestos products. If they are in a perfect condition with no damage, they could be safe to keep. All you would have to do is be careful and monitor their condition going forward.
Alternatively, if you would prefer to replace them, do not try and do this yourself. Instead, you would need to get professional help to remove the asbestos.
Try a testing kit
If your home was built in the 1970s, there is unfortunately a much greater chance that it contains asbestos somewhere. Therefore, we advise that you take active measures and test the suspect materials. Our testing kits are incredibly easy to use you will get conformation in no time at all.
You can then decide what to do depending on the results. If no asbestos is found – perfect! However, if traces are present you may want to get it removed depending on the condition of the materials. For example, if you have damaged asbestos sidings, removal is advisable to prevent potential health hazard.