| Asbestos has been banned in many forms since | | | | from becoming airborne and causing a host of |
| the late 1980s, but certainly not all of them. A | | | | health problems. |
| bigger issue has been what to do about asbestos | | | | The major benefits of encapsulation are readily |
| that still is present in structures. Removal is | | | | apparent. First, the offending asbestos material |
| messy and potentially dangerous, so a process | | | | remains in place and dangerous fibers are not |
| known as encapsulation has become popular. In | | | | kicked up during the destruction process. Second, |
| this article, we take a look at the pros and cons | | | | the fire resistant benefits of asbestos remain in |
| of it. | | | | place since the material is still in the building. Third, |
| Asbestos is a tremendously effective fire | | | | the cost of encapsulating is almost always much |
| resistant material and also very heat resistant. As | | | | cheaper than removing the material. |
| a result, it makes a great insulator and fire break | | | | What about cons? There really aren't too many. |
| in structures. For this reason, it was heavily used | | | | The most frequent issue that arises is inadvertent |
| in all manner of structures beginning particularly in | | | | exposure. If a building is damaged in an |
| World War II. Of course, this was before | | | | earthquake, tornado or other natural disaster, the |
| asbestos was found to cause major health | | | | asbestos can be exposed and create a dangerous |
| problems including multiple types of cancer. | | | | situation. The same goes for a large fire where |
| Asbestos is rarely used in building materials | | | | firemen are cutting away parts of the building |
| anymore. That is good news for new | | | | without realizing they are infested with asbestos. |
| construction, but what about older structures? | | | | All and all, encapsulation has become all the rage |
| Many still have asbestos in them. Removal is | | | | these days with asbestos risk exposure. The |
| expensive and messy, so many owners now go | | | | short term results appear positive and it only is an |
| with encapsulation processes. As the name | | | | issue of seeing whether the process holds up |
| suggests, the areas of asbestos are encapsulated | | | | over time to determine whether this is finally a |
| with a sturdy material. This keeps any asbestos | | | | solution to the "old asbestos" problem. |