Cement Wallboard
If your home was built before 1980, chances are good that it was built with products containing asbestos. One of the most commonly used construction materials that contained asbestos was Portland cement wallboard. Cement wallboard containing asbestos is resistant to fire, weather and corrosion. It has little heat conductivity, making it an ideal material for use in building homes, as it adds insulation to the other properties of the walls. It was available in smooth and ridged sheets, large enough to sheath interior walls easily.
Flat transite panels made by the Johns-Manville Company are an example of cement wallboard used in construction. The sheets could be easily cut, drilled and shaped. Unfortunately, those who were cutting, sanding, drilling and shaping the cement wallboard were releasing asbestos fibers into the air, where they could inhale the dust. That dust and asbestos fibers could then lodge in the pleural lining of the lungs, where it festered for years, eventually causing one of the most virulent cancers known - mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma is a cancer of the linings around the organs. The most common type of mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma, affecting the lining around the lungs. Less common are peritoneal mesothelioma, affecting the lining of the abdominal cavity, and pericardial mesothelioma, affecting the thin lining around the heart. All three are invariably fatal, and extremely painful.
How do I know if I have asbestos cement wallboard in my house?
If your home was built after 1980, you can feel pretty safe in assuming that it has no asbestos wallboard. If it was built earlier than that, though, the chances of it containing asbestos products, including asbestos wallboard, are pretty good. If you think that your home may have asbestos wallboard, the only way to be certain - if you don't have the manufacturer's name and the product name - is to have it tested by an asbestos testing company.
What should I do if I find out that my house was built with asbestos wallboard?
In general, the answer to that is simple - cover it. The mere presence of asbestos in your home is not necessarily dangerous. Cement wallboard only becomes a hazard to your health when it starts to deteriorate. At that point, it can release asbestos fibers into the air where you and your family will be breathing it. If you find asbestos cement wallboard in your home and are not sure, your best course of action is to contact an asbestos abatement company near you for a consultation.
Who should be concerned about cement wallboard and asbestos?
If you worked in home or building construction anytime before 1980, there is a very real possibility that you were exposed to asbestos in your workplace, either from cement wallboard or from another asbestos containing product. In addition, you may have brought asbestos dust and fibers home from work with you on your clothing and in your hair, exposing your children and family to it as well.
What should I do if I think I was exposed to asbestos dust in the workplace?
First and most important, make sure that your doctor is aware of your history of asbestos exposure. Unfortunately, there is no way to change the fact that you were exposed, or to lessen the risk of developing mesothelioma once you have been exposed; however, as with any other cancer, your options for treatment are far greater if the mesothelioma is discovered early. If your doctor is aware of your exposure history, he or she can watch for signs and symptoms that might be dismissed otherwise. If you smoke cigarettes, you should quit immediately. The chances of developing mesothelioma or lung cancer are monumentally higher for those who smoke AND were exposed to asbestos.
Finally, if you have been exposed to asbestos and diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos related disease, consider contacting a mesothelioma lawyer who specializes in asbestos cases. You may be entitled to compensation for your illness and losses.
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