Asbestos Testing for New Haven Properties
The city of New Haven is one of the older cities in New England. Founded in the 17th century it has more than 75 houses and at least as many commercial or public buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. Beyond the historically significant buildings, more than 80% of residences were constructed before 1989 and many of them were made with materials that most likely contained asbestos or other harmful elements. These materials do not pose a significant health hazard unless disturbed, so under normal conditions a homeowner may go 30-50 years without ever having to worry about exposure. However, as the building ages and materials degrade the asbestos may contaminate the environment, at which point it increases the chance to develop serious medical conditions such as mesothelioma. If you live or work in a building that is more than 35 years old then it behooves you to have periodic asbestos testing conducted for your property in order to ensure that you are not unwittingly poisoning yourself, your workers, or your loved ones.
In addition to general degradation due to the aging of materials, asbestos can be released into the environment any time a structure is subjected to severe damage. In New Haven the most likely reason for such damage is due to hurricanes and supercell storms—known as a “Nor’easter”—wherein high winds and significant precipitation can put undue stress on the building’s exterior. This stress can lead to damage of interior floors, walls, and ceilings where materials such as insulation may be knocked out of place. When construction materials are exposed or damaged, asbestos in the home can contaminate your whole property. Since asbestos is not visible under normal conditions it can be very difficult to detect without professional assistance.
To see if your home is contaminated with asbestos you will need to find a certified investigator, who will take samples from around your property and test each one. RTK Environmental investigators take the samples from your home and send them off to a third party lab in order to remove all possibilities of a conflict of interest. By taking multiple samples the tests help to narrow down the source of the contamination and help guide you towards a plan of remediation to fix the issue or replace the contaminated materials. Professional asbestos testing will also reveal asbestos levels in the air and soil in order to highlight the extent of the contamination and help you make the best choice to deal with it.
If you would like your property tested for asbestos by one of our professional investigators call us at 800.392.6468 or register online.
