Westland, Mi
"Katherine" from Westland, Michigan once asked us if asbestos was dangerous and why. Everyone was telling her that she needed to test her house for asbestos, but she'd never been told exactly why that was a good idea. While the question surprised us, we realized that not everyone is as informed about the dangers as we are. Thus, we here at PEL Laboratories decided it was a good idea to let the general public know exactly why it is. Let's get one thing out of the way first: all types of asbestos are carcinogenic, meaning that they can cause cancers. More specifically, all types of asbestos can cause a wide variety of both non-malignant and malignant diseases. Let's go over a few.
The non-malignant diseases may not be carcinogenic, but they can be fatal. Pleural Plaques is the first on this unpleasant list, which causes dense, firm, gray-white fibrous tissue to form on your lungs. It causes the victim to not be able to breathe properly, and can also be a precursor to other asbestos related diseases—namely asbestosis and lung cancer. The former, asbestosis, is also a non-malignant disease but not as fatal... anymore. In the 1900's, it was a major killer in asbestos factories in England. Before standards were created, these environments were incredibly deadly, where asbestos was essentially flying into the air and getting into workers' lungs. This is when asbestos is at its most dangerous, and is also the reason why Katherine's friends demanded she get asbestos testing done on her house in Westland, Michigan; it's always a good idea to test before getting any renovations done to prevent any potentially deadly exposure. Because believe us, you do not want any of these diseases.
Asbestosis causes coughing, shortness of breath, and a very phlegmatic cough (which, in the case of the old factory workers, you could see the asbestos fibers in. Nowadays, with modern medicine, it's rarely fatal; but that does not mean you want to catch it. And the non-malignant diseases are on the lighter end of what asbestos can cause. The malignant diseases include mesothelioma, which is a cancer that is incredibly fatal. The greater the exposure to asbestos, the higher your risk for this horrific disease. Lung cancers are also likely with asbestos exposure.
So, say it with us: asbestos is dangerous. It's not a material that should be taken lightly, which we explained to Wanda and why it would be a good idea to test her house in Warren, Michigan for asbestos. It's just not worth the risk of catching any of the above. These diseases aren't to be underestimated. Even if you feel it's unlikely that your newer home may contain, or an older property that probably definitely has it, it's always a good idea to test any concerning materials. We hope this proved to be educational for you and advise you be cautious in the future. Always feel free to ask us any questions you might have. Call or email us any time!