Asbestos and Your Fond Du Lac Home Remodeling Project

Are you remodeling or renovating an older home in the Fond Du Lac area?  If yes, then it’s a good thing you’ve found this article.  Brad’s Construction is a local home remodeling and construction contractor serving homeowners in the Fond Du Lac area.  One of our specialities is in renovating older homes that have building materials contaminated with Asbestos.

As you are well aware Asbestos fibers are a known human carcinogen and can be the cause of some very nasty illnesses.  In short, it’s not something you want to exposure yourself or your family to.  Because it’s such a public health risk there are strict rules and regulations in place for renovating and remodeling older homes that may have materials containing Asbestos.

There are four major steps you’ll need to take to make sure your home is Asbestos free.  Brad’s Construction can help walk you through this process and the maze of paperwork that soon follows.

The following information is a simplified summary of information taken directly from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources as it would pertain to most homeowner projects.  You can read the entire article here.

1. Inspection

Regulations require the owner or operator of a facility (your home) to “thoroughly inspect the affected facility or part of the facility where the demolition or renovation operation will occur for the presence of asbestos.  This process involves inspecting your home both inside and out for the presence of materials in which Asbestos may be present.

2. Notification

A. Notification for demolitions/asbestos abatement projects

A demolition project that contains any amount of asbestos containing materials, no matter how small, is subject to the regulations in ch. NR 447, Wis. Adm. Code [PDF exit DNR].  A single, isolated, residential dwelling unit or structure with four or fewer dwelling units is exempt, regardless of ownership or the intended use of the property.

B. Notification for renovations/asbestos abatement projects

In order for a renovation/asbestos abatement project to be subject to DNR asbestos regulations in ch. NR 447, Wis Adm. Code [PDF exit DNR], the following criteria must apply.

• The quantity of regulated asbestos containing materials to be removed must be at least:
  • 260 lineal feet of pipe insulation;
  • 160 square feet, or 5,580 square feet of total area, of asphalt roofing removed with a roofing saw; or
  • 35 cubic feet off of facility components (this measurement should only be used if there is no way to determine the amount as it existed on a facility component – pipe, ceiling, floor, etc.)

  These quantities are or will be listed in box #16a. of the notice form. For quantities listed in box #16b., the contractor has determined that the material is and will remain non-friable during the entire abatement project, including waste handling and disposal.

3. Removal Of The Asbestos Contamination

To ensure compliance with NR 447 the following work practices are required when performing asbestos abatement.  Brad’s Construction principals and staff are well versed on these practices.

• Contractors should adequately wet the ACM to prevent visible emissions.
• Wetting that would unavoidably damage equipment is not required if the owner/operator supplies the department sufficient information explaining the situation. When the department determines that such damage is unavoidable, the contractor shall use a local exhaust ventilation and collection system designed and operated to capture the particulates produced by the stripping and removal of the friable ACM. The system shall exhibit no VEs to the outside air. The contractor must receive written approval from DNR before starting the project.
• All ACM must remain adequately wet when collected, contained, treated for disposal and transported.
• All ACM must be sealed in leak-tight containers. For materials that will not fit without additional breakage, leak-tight wrapping may be used.
• All asbestos containing waste material shall be deposited as soon as practical at an approved waste disposal site licensed by the DNR under section NR 506.10, Wis. Adm. Code Out-of-state disposal sites shall be operated in conformance with 40 CFR Part 61, Subpart M, section 61.152.

4. Disposal Of Asbestos Contaminated Material

It’s the law that your Asbestos contaminated materials be disposed of correctly.  Brad’s Construction is compliant with all Asbestos disposal procedures from removal, to transportation to final disposal.

• Asbestos Storage, Transportation and Disposal – Procedural Guidance (WA-023) [PDF]
• Construction & Demolition Waste Recovery: Processing, Recycling, Burning and Transport[PDF]
• All waste materials that contain at least 1 percent asbestos are subject to the storage, transport and disposal requirements in chs. NR 502, Wis. Adm. Code [PDF exit DNR] and NR 506, Wis. Adm. Code [PDF exit DNR], regardless of both the structural source of the asbestos and the quantity of asbestos involved.

If you have an older home that you’d like to renovate or remodel and are worried about the potential for Asbestos contamination then please give Brad’s Construction a call today and we’ll be happy to come out and take a look for you.