Renovation Plans? Proceed With Caution

Many people in Kentucky are proud of their older homes. If you’re one of them and you plan on doing any do-it-yourself remodeling this spring, watch out for dangerous asbestos.

Any dwelling constructed prior to 1970 probably contains asbestos in the floor tiles and pipes, because back then, asbestos was a cheap, reliable, and plentiful mineral that was essentially fireproof and had excellent heat retention properties. But beginning in the 1950s, researchers started looking into the connection between dangerous asbestos and certain types of lung disease, such as mesothelioma (lung cancer) and asbestosis (permanent scar tissue). If your project involves any tile or plumbing work, it’s probably best to contact a professional asbestos removal firm and at least have the company on standby.