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Living Green: The Missing Manual
book

Living Green: The Missing Manual

by Nancy Conner
August 2009
Beginner to intermediate content levelBeginner to intermediate
320 pages
11h 56m
English
O'Reilly Media, Inc.
Content preview from Living Green: The Missing Manual

Special Problems in Remodeling

When you build a new house, you start with a blank slate, limited only by stuff like the site, zoning, and budget. But remodeling is a whole different story. You have to work with what's already there, and that may include special problems found in older homes. This section looks at some of those issues—what they are and what to do about them—so you can make your remodeled home greener and safer for your family.

Asbestos

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral whose crystals form long, thin fibers. Its pliability and heat-resistance made it a popular insulation and fireproofing material. But the same fibers that make it a good insulator also make it deadly: Inhaling these fibers, especially over a long period of time, damages the lungs and causes lung cancer.

Here are some places where you might find asbestos, especially if your home was built before the late 1980s:

  • Boilers, pipes, and furnace ducts. These parts of your heating system may have an asbestos blanket or asbestos paper tape for insulation. If the material is deteriorating or damaged (cut or scraped, for example), asbestos fibers can get into the air.

  • Furnaces and wood stoves. The gasket that seals the furnace or stove door may contain asbestos and release fibers if it wears out.

  • Insulation. If your house was built between 1930 and 1950, it may have asbestos insulation.

  • Textured paints, spray-on decorative materials, and soundproofing. Sanding, scraping, or drilling into these materials will ...

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Publisher Resources

ISBN: 9780596806460Errata Page