Texas Asbestos Consultants Help to Ensure Buildings are Safe from Airborne Hazards

According to some reports, asbestos was used in over 3,000 materials by the 1970s.  Many of these materials were used to construct homes, schools and commercial buildings.  In fact, asbestos was used in everything from roofing and siding to insulation, flooring and textured paints and painting compounds. 
 
Asbestos is a mineral fiber that is most likely to be found in homes and buildings constructed between approximately the 1930s through the 1970s.  People can be exposed to asbestos fibers through inhalation or ingestion of asbestos-containing materials that have become friable or are disturbed during renovation, remodeling and demolition activities.    Exposure can cause mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer in some people. 
 
The EPA states, “Federal law does not require persons who inspect, repair or remove asbestos-containing materials in detached single-family homes to be trained and accredited; however, some states and localities do require this. For safety, homeowners should ensure that workers they hire to handle asbestos are trained and accredited.”  The agency also reports that to avoid a conflict of interest, an asbestos professional hired to assess the need for asbestos repair or removal should not be connected with an asbestos firm that does the actual repair or removal of materials. It is better to use two different firms so there is no conflict of interest.
 
Across Texas and the Gulf Coast, one of the leading asbestos consulting firms is Indoor Environmental Consultants, Inc. They are licensed by the Texas Department of State Health Services as an asbestos consultant agency and have identified asbestos and other indoor air quality (IAQ) concerns to resolve potential health hazards in thousands of buildings.
 
“Unless it’s labeled, they only way to be sure if a material contains asbestos is to have it tested,” said Hollis L. Horner, President, Indoor Environmental Consultants, Inc.  “At IEC, we inspect homes and buildings, assess conditions, take samples of suspected materials for testing and advise about what corrections are needed.  If repair, removal or encapsulation of asbestos containing materials is required, our asbestos professionals can ensure the corrective-action contractor has followed proper procedures, including proper clean up, and can monitor the air for asbestos fibers during the process and after the project is complete to ensure the indoor environment is safe for all building occupants.”
 
IEC recently sponsored a video about things to consider before hiring an asbestos inspector that can be seen at: http://youtu.be/IsOXocny4fc
 
To learn more about IEC, asbestos and healthy indoor environments, please visit www.iecinc.net, email ncancino@iecinc.net or call (877) 432-8378.
 
About Indoor Environmental Consultants, Inc.
IEC began operations in 2001 with some of the nation’s most seasoned professional indoor air quality consultants who already had over 70 years of combined experience.  The indoor environmental quality firm specializes in field investigations and assessments of commercial, institutional and residential buildings.  Their services, related to fungal (mold), chemical, bacterial, asbestos and particulate pollutants, are offered throughout Texas, the Gulf Coast and the Southwest. IEC is licensed by the Texas Department of State Health Services as a mold assessment company (ACO0114) and an asbestos consultant agency (100329).

Contact Information

Paul Cochrane

President

Cochrane & Associates, LLC

Contact via E-mail