In one form or another, asbestos has been used in home
construction for almost 100 years. If your home is more than 30
years old or so, you could be at risk. The two most common forms
are cement asbestos, used in siding, and asbestos insulation,
used to insulate heating pipes. The risk of asbestos exposure is
based on how friable it is (how easily it gets deteriorated). If
the asbestos can be easily released to the air, then there is a
substantial risk of exposure in your home. This would be the
case, for example, with heating pipe insulation made of
asbestos. On the other hand, the risk of exposure from cement
asbestos (such as siding), in which the asbestos is contained
within a cement binder, is very low. If you suspect you have
asbestos in your home, it is best to get it tested by an
independent lab to confirm it’s asbestos content. If presence of
asbestos is confirmed and the material is friable, then removal
by a trained professional is recommended. Under no circumstances
should you try and remove asbes