What No One Tells You About Construction and Contractors

Not all homes were constructed using the same materials, so those homes are likely to pose different risks to the people who come to demolish them. This article discusses some substances that you may be exposed to if you choose to demolish your home by yourself.

Synthetic Mineral Fibres 

Synthetic mineral fibres come from products made from ceramic, rock wool and fibreglass. Those fibres become airborne when the product that contains them (such as a soundproofing material) is damaged during the demolition process. Products containing synthetic mineral fibres may not be illegal because they are not as harmful as asbestos. However, your nose, eyes and throat may be irritated once you are exposed to synthetic mineral fibres. That is why you should hire professionals to demolish your home. Those professionals will not only rely on protective gear (such as respirators) to guard against exposure to those fibres. They will also take added measures (dust containment, for example) to prevent those materials from harming people in the surrounding areas. Such mechanisms may be out of your reach as a layperson.

Formaldehyde in Wood Dust

Professional demolition firms may first conduct tests to confirm or rule out the presence of formaldehyde in the wooden components in a home, such as the panels and particleboards. This chemical (formaldehyde) may be released as the wood is cut or damaged during the demolition process. Exposure to the wood dust from the contaminated wood can cause throat cancer if the exposure level is high enough. Professionals go to great lengths to protect themselves from this contaminated dust. A layperson may not have the ability to determine the extent of protection needed for a given formaldehyde risk level.

Lead Paint

You may not have the expertise to determine whether the paint used in the house that you wish to demolish contains lead. Once you start demolishing that house, lead particles can contaminate the air around, exposing people to this harmful substance. Those who inhale that toxic metal may develop health complications, such as hypertension and muscle pain.

No demolition job is as simple as it looks. Several risks have to be assessed and planned for before the demolition work can begin. It is therefore better for you to leave this job to experienced professionals. This is because you may end up spending more on medical bills when you thought that you were saving money by doing the demolition on your own.