Asbestos in the Home & Workplace

Calgary’s ASTRA Restorations has intimate knowledge of the dangers asbestos poses in homes and workplaces. Though asbestos has been commonly used in building materials and in daily used items, it is an extremely dangerous substance. Asbestos fibres, when mobilized, lodge in the lungs, causing life-threatening illnesses.

Since the 1980s, when the dangers of asbestos became known, asbestos has been increasingly legislated against. By 2018, the Canadian government outlawed the use, importation, and exportation of any asbestos material. While use of asbestos declined decades ago, the material is still commonly found in homes, workplaces, and appliances built prior to 1984.

Asbestos commonly exists in the building materials of homes and workplaces. Individuals live and work around these materials, unaware of the dangers these materials pose. People may also contact asbestos in everyday household items. These materials and household items include but are not limited to the following:

• exterior building materials (e.g., siding, roofing panels, and stucco);
• drywall, plaster, and joint compound;
• insulation materials;
• flooring;
• vinyl sheets;
• textured walls and ceilings (e.g., “popcorn ceilings”);
• insulation for pipes, heaters, hot water cylinders, ducts, and floors;
• vehicle brakes and clutches;
• textiles;
• ironing boards; and
• heat-protection items (e.g., oven gloves and heat pads for kitchen pots).

If you suspect asbestos in your home, do not disturb it. Disturbing asbestos will dislodge fibres, risking your health. Only a trained individual, like those at Calgary’s ASTRA Restorations, should handle asbestos. They alone will have the tools, safety equipment, and protocols to do this work safely and effectively.

Calgary’s ASTRA Restorations has the expertise and experience to make your home safe from asbestos.