Contractors overlook asbestos ceilings
Q: I am a general contractor and recently encountered a situation of interest. While bidding on the remodeling of an older home, I noticed acoustic ceilings in several rooms and advised the owners to have the surfaces tested for asbestos before removing any of the material. They complained that two other contractors had also bid on the job and that neither contractor had mentioned asbestos. Because my bid included the additional cost of asbestos testing, I did not get the job. Could you please comment on this?
A: The contractors who overlooked this when submitting their bids, most likely did so out of ignorance of asbestos abatement requirements. This oversight exposes them to major financial liability and the potential for legal repercussions.
The homeowners, having been alerted (by you) to a potential problem, made a serious misjudgment, exposing themselves and others to possible health hazards, while also assuming future legal liability.
A similar situation occurred in my area several years ago. A remodeling contractor removed acoustic ceiling texture from a home without advising the owner of possible asbestos content. Fabrics throughout the house were found later to be contaminated with asbestos fibers. Carpets, drapes, upholstered furniture, and clothing all had to be sent to a toxic waste site, and the contractor was held financially liable for these losses.
You were prudent to inform these homeowners about the potential for asbestos. If they lacked concurrent wisdom in processing this information, it’s probably
just as well that you were not the contractor selected for the job.
As you know, acoustic ceilings that were installed from the 1950s through early 1980s typically contain asbestos. When this material is intact, it is not regarded as a significant health hazard, but when removal or demolition occurs, it is required by law that the material be tested and that handling, removal, and disposal be done by a licensed asbestos abatement contractor.
Q: The home we’re buying has a brick fireplace with a gas burner and cement logs. We’d like to burn wood logs instead, to get some heat in the house, but we’re wondering what problems this might entail. What is your advice?
A: The crackle of a traditional log fire lends a cozy to a home, but contrary to common belief, a masonry fireplace provides very little heat to the interior. If you stand near the hearth, you’ll enjoy the warmth of radiant heat, but while this is happening the convection that draws smoke up the chimney also draws warm air from within your house, sending it in the direction of Santa’s sleigh.
If you wish to heat your home with wood, a practical approach is to install a fireplace insert. This is a wood-burning stove, specifically designed to be set into the combustion chamber of a fireplace. To determine which insert model will fit your fireplace and provide the greatest amount of heat per volume of wood, consult a certified chimney sweep.
• To write to Barry Stone, a certified building inspector, visit him on the web at www.housedetective.com, or write AMG, 1776 Jami Lee Court, Suite 218, San Luis Obispo, CA 94301.
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