Asbestos Prevention and Healthy Tips for Denver Homeowners
When remodeling or buying a new home, there are many things to consider. The journey to home ownership is a time filled with many joyous occasions for you and your family. However, it is one that will require additional responsibilities.
Having the assistance of a reliable and honest real estate agent will make all the difference in the world. One of the many things that can go unnoticed is taking precautions against obsolete and toxic building materials which may still be present in homes.
Used throughout the 20th century to insulate pipes, boilers and in roofing, asbestos gained recognition due to its resistance to heat and electrical conductivity. Potential Denver home owners or those seeking to remodel homes built before 1980 should be aware that older homes may still harbor asbestos materials. This does not mean you should be incredibly alarmed because exposure to asbestos can be easily avoided by taking simple precautions. Citizens of Colorado are pushing for continued use of new green, eco-friendly technologies. In the state, construction practices are upgrading methods to suit better lighting, heating, cooling systems and environmentally habitable insulation.
Asbestos in the home
If asbestos is located, it must be left un-touched until a professional can provide a course of action. In many situations, the best action is no action. Asbestos that is disturbed or damaged due to age is known as “friable” asbestos. This is a concern because its toxic fibers can easily circulate and become inhaled. If asbestos removal is recommended, it should be performed by a licensed abatement contractor who is trained in handling asbestos materials.
Prolonged exposure to airborne asbestos may lead to related illnesses such as mesothelioma. Mesothelioma treatment has varied affects on patients and many variables can affect patient prognosis. These include latency period, age of diagnosis and cigarette smoking. There are a number of factors that can impact mesothelioma survival rate. These factors include latency period, age of diagnosis and cigarette smoking.
Alternatives to Asbestos
With environmental efficiency on the rise, there are now many eco-sustainable methods of insulation that will save you money and produce a healthier lifestyle. The Colorado Environmental Coalition unites fellow citizens to protect the natural prosperity of life. Each year, hundreds of people and organizations are mobilized in order to execute a noble cause. They provide research, initiate practical ideas and an open minded approach in overcoming opposition to special interest groups and lobbyists who seek to limit new green technologies from entering the market.
Tax breaks are being offered through The American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009. This package extends energy efficiency tax incentives first enacted in 2005 and even creates some new ones for those who remodel their homes using eco-friendly materials.
This is good news for people looking to remodel their homes. Some of the measures eligible for tax credits include: Replacement windows and skylights which are equal or below a 0.30 U factor, window
films certified by the manufacturer that the product meets the requirements of a green insulation system, pigmented metal or asphalt roofs that meet Energy Star requirements and added insulation to walls or any part of a structure that meets the 2009 IECC specifications.
The implementation of green alternatives such as cotton fiber, lcynene foam and cellulose can reduce annual energy costs by 25 percent. Cotton fiber is also becoming a favorite insulation method. Made from recycled batted material, it is then treated to be fireproof. Water based spray polyurethane foam, lcynene, is a healthy insulation which contains no toxic components.
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