Yes, as the headline reads, I have been recklessly clumsy and stupid.
The thing is, our outdoor faucet is half broken, and I've been planning for a while to replace it. It's a house from 1957 and therefore old steel pipes. The faucet is located in a small storage room in the basement, maybe 3 sqm in size.
Yesterday, on a whim, I went down and thought I would prepare a bit by removing the insulation from the pipes. I was aware that there is most likely asbestos in the insulation, so I put on a face mask and simply started cutting into the insulation. I removed a three-way joint, don't think there was asbestos in that, and also took the opportunity to remove around a bend, and this is where I'm pretty sure it was asbestos. Like a fabric, roughly, and white powder, although I remember that mostly larger pieces fell down.
I threw it in a garbage bag, also removed an end on the other side of the pipe for easy removal later, just cut and lift away type of thing. In hindsight, I realize there could have been asbestos at the end against the wall as well.
Anyway, stupid as I am, I read up after I did it, and first of all, I realized the mask I wore was a p2, which is inadequate for asbestos. It's also now in hindsight that I've read and become paranoid about the risks of asbestos.
I took action and bought a half-mask with a p3 filter today, went down again in the basement and mopped the floor wet with a floor mop, wiped with paper that went in the trash bag. Threw as much as I could outside the room where the insulation came off. Mopped the floor outside and the hallway in the basement towards the other short end of the house as best I could.
In the room where the insulation came off, I did the same, first wiped with wet paper on the floor and removed the worst, then floor mopped and wiped with wet and dry paper. Wiped the pipes with wet paper and everything in the small room was wiped down, loose items were thrown away or put in a bag for rinsing with water outdoors.
What I'm paranoid about right now is how it is with the rest of the basement. Has maybe the entire basement been contaminated with asbestos?
It's very difficult to clean the entire basement because the room next door around the corner is a woodworking room that looks like crap with lots of dust and mess. At the other short end of the house, it's become a storage area for all sorts of things, so there are lots of boxes and other junk there. There's also a laundry room next to it.
If the entire basement has been contaminated with asbestos, what on earth do you do then? Are all the clothes in the laundry room just to be thrown away?
Has it spread to the whole house?
I guess I have to live with the knowledge that I've most likely inhaled asbestos into my lungs, but it would be very unfortunate if the whole house has been contaminated.
Grateful for input, help a paranoid person.
Edit: Don't know if this is the right forum topic but the moderator is welcome to move the post if it's in the wrong place.
The thing is, our outdoor faucet is half broken, and I've been planning for a while to replace it. It's a house from 1957 and therefore old steel pipes. The faucet is located in a small storage room in the basement, maybe 3 sqm in size.
Yesterday, on a whim, I went down and thought I would prepare a bit by removing the insulation from the pipes. I was aware that there is most likely asbestos in the insulation, so I put on a face mask and simply started cutting into the insulation. I removed a three-way joint, don't think there was asbestos in that, and also took the opportunity to remove around a bend, and this is where I'm pretty sure it was asbestos. Like a fabric, roughly, and white powder, although I remember that mostly larger pieces fell down.
I threw it in a garbage bag, also removed an end on the other side of the pipe for easy removal later, just cut and lift away type of thing. In hindsight, I realize there could have been asbestos at the end against the wall as well.
Anyway, stupid as I am, I read up after I did it, and first of all, I realized the mask I wore was a p2, which is inadequate for asbestos. It's also now in hindsight that I've read and become paranoid about the risks of asbestos.
I took action and bought a half-mask with a p3 filter today, went down again in the basement and mopped the floor wet with a floor mop, wiped with paper that went in the trash bag. Threw as much as I could outside the room where the insulation came off. Mopped the floor outside and the hallway in the basement towards the other short end of the house as best I could.
In the room where the insulation came off, I did the same, first wiped with wet paper on the floor and removed the worst, then floor mopped and wiped with wet and dry paper. Wiped the pipes with wet paper and everything in the small room was wiped down, loose items were thrown away or put in a bag for rinsing with water outdoors.
What I'm paranoid about right now is how it is with the rest of the basement. Has maybe the entire basement been contaminated with asbestos?
It's very difficult to clean the entire basement because the room next door around the corner is a woodworking room that looks like crap with lots of dust and mess. At the other short end of the house, it's become a storage area for all sorts of things, so there are lots of boxes and other junk there. There's also a laundry room next to it.
If the entire basement has been contaminated with asbestos, what on earth do you do then? Are all the clothes in the laundry room just to be thrown away?
Has it spread to the whole house?
I guess I have to live with the knowledge that I've most likely inhaled asbestos into my lungs, but it would be very unfortunate if the whole house has been contaminated.
Grateful for input, help a paranoid person.
Edit: Don't know if this is the right forum topic but the moderator is welcome to move the post if it's in the wrong place.
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As long as you don't plan on stirring up asbestos material eight hours a day for the next 50 years, you can probably be at ease. You'll likely inhale a hundred times more crap into your lungs during a regular walk to Ica.
Yes, I would like to believe that too. At the same time, one gets anxious when reading about the risks. Just that other crap you inhale the body probably takes care of, but asbestos stays there forever. What I'm most afraid of is, as I said, if I've managed to contaminate the entire basement, and maybe the rest of the house too.
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fredrik.johansson
Homeowner
· Skåne
· 1 770 posts
fredrik.johansson
Homeowner
- Skåne
- 1,770 posts
Take it easy! You are far from the first to worry about asbestos! Asbestos is not radioactive or toxic; the risks with asbestos come from regular, typically occupational, inhalation of the fibers. A single exposure is virtually risk-free, especially compared to other risks you expose yourself to: the bag with the waste should be thrown out at the recycling center, you might slip on the basement stairs when you're panic-mopping the floor, etc. Next time, make sure to use your protection and close the door behind you to avoid worrying. But, emotions are rarely rational and very difficult to control. Asbestos, in particular, seems to be anxiety-inducing, and many are struck by panic. The risks, as mentioned, are very small, and most renovation activities are considerably more risky. Working from a ladder, for example, that's where we can start talking about significant risks, but it's something almost everyone does without thinking. Check out some threads here, and you'll find plenty of similar stories—or don't if you don't want to increase the anxiety even more.
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fredrik.johansson
Homeowner
· Skåne
· 1 770 posts
fredrik.johansson
Homeowner
- Skåne
- 1,770 posts
Do you even know for sure that there was asbestos in the insulation?Pippirull said:
Sure, you worry and maybe overreact, but at the same time, you can see that lung cancer can appear just from a single exposure. I will definitely use a p3 mask next time, or rather hire a company next time that has the equipment for it. As mentioned, mostly afraid of having contaminated the rest of the basement and house :/
I can't be completely sure, but it clearly looks like white asbestos from what I've seen. What I tore down was like gauze with something white.
Looking later at the ends of the insulation, it quite clearly shows a white mass, kind of like plaster.
The house was built in 1957, so most signs point to asbestos.
Looking later at the ends of the insulation, it quite clearly shows a white mass, kind of like plaster.
The house was built in 1957, so most signs point to asbestos.
Why not take a small sample and send it for analysis? Knowledge is often calming and definitely a big advantage if actions need to be taken. You can also try to get dust from your storage to stick to a piece of tape and send it along. Dangerous fibers should be visible in the analysis company's microscope.
Yes, that's an idea. I might do it later on.
I have been in contact with the company that did the drainage work on our house. The owner has previously worked with remediation and gave a reassuring response similar to yours, mainly that it's long-term exposure that's dangerous and I don't need to worry about my family.
However, I have contacted Ramirent and Cramo for renting a vacuum cleaner and air purifier. It feels better mentally to remove as much as possible of what might have been contaminated.
Thank you so much so far. Hopefully, I'll be alive tomorrow with 😂
I have been in contact with the company that did the drainage work on our house. The owner has previously worked with remediation and gave a reassuring response similar to yours, mainly that it's long-term exposure that's dangerous and I don't need to worry about my family.
However, I have contacted Ramirent and Cramo for renting a vacuum cleaner and air purifier. It feels better mentally to remove as much as possible of what might have been contaminated.
Thank you so much so far. Hopefully, I'll be alive tomorrow with 😂
Is it really that many?Pippirull said:
Source on that?
Quick Google search, I was wrong, but I'm pretty sure I saw, I think it was SVT, reporting 300. However, it might have been an extreme peak that year.
Nevertheless, 100-150 is far too many victims.
http://da.se/2015/06/asbest-dodar-igen/
Nevertheless, 100-150 is far too many victims.
http://da.se/2015/06/asbest-dodar-igen/
Then it takes 20-30+ years to develop cancer due to asbestos, most likely those who are dying today are the ones who worked with it daily before the total ban came into effect. We are likely to see a decline over the next 10-20 year period. As a private individual, demolition is far from the same exposure as in the Eternit factory or what the unfortunate station master got from all the brake dust on the platform.
If you're not working as a tradesperson, I'd be more worried about E-numbers, artificial meat, etc., and consider eating more organic and exercising regularly.
Edit; The question is whether they take into account the background of those affected? I'm thinking if it's people from the Baltics or other parts of the world who don't have the same awareness of asbestos as Sweden does, who worked a lot with asbestos abroad and now that they live in Sweden are affected by the cancer? That could build up the statistics a bit too..
If you're not working as a tradesperson, I'd be more worried about E-numbers, artificial meat, etc., and consider eating more organic and exercising regularly.
Edit; The question is whether they take into account the background of those affected? I'm thinking if it's people from the Baltics or other parts of the world who don't have the same awareness of asbestos as Sweden does, who worked a lot with asbestos abroad and now that they live in Sweden are affected by the cancer? That could build up the statistics a bit too..
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True, I hardly think they differentiate between native Swedes and those who have moved here. Someone who has moved from a village in China naturally runs a higher risk of getting something from the lousy factories they have there. Then we have all the mechanics who worked with asbestos linings until the 90s. I recall there were brake linings with asbestos for quite some time. Of course, they run a high risk of getting something.