HVAC Duct Insulation
HVAC units can be found in most large, institutional buildings across the country, where they keep workers, families, individuals, and children comfortable. HVAC units -- also known as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning units -- are heaters, coolers, and ventilators, all in one. HVAC is a climate control and ventilation system comprised of a central air handling unit and two systems of ducts, one of which draws air out of rooms and corridors, while the other set of ducts provides a fresh flow of air. HVAC is one of the most efficient, cost-effective, and thus widely used temperature and air control systems used in large buildings, institutions, and on campuses around the world.
Although HVAC units are highly effective at relieving folks from uncomfortable weater extremities and can provide fresh air where otherwise there would be stale, the efficiency of HVAC units is largely dependant upon quality insulation. Since HVAC technologies were first introduced to the public, scientists and engineers have attempted to come up with new and better forms of insulation with which to lower the price of running an HVAC system. For many years, asbestos was the top choice for HVAC duct insulation. Asbestos was affordable, fire resistent and a poor conducter of heat, meaning that air units equipped with asbestos HVAC duct insulation keep air warmer -- or cooler -- for a lower price.
However, in recent years a large number of studies and reports of deaths as a result of exposure to asbestos have led researchers and public and environmental health organizations to rethink the safety and usefulness of asbestos as an HVAC duct insulator. Nearly 10,000 people die each year in the United States as a result of asbestos exposure, and these discouraging numbers do not appear to be decreasing. Legislators have worked to limit the use of asbestos in products available on the market, and have enacted bans on the use of asbestos in new products, items that haven't traditionally contained asbestos. As a result of this legislation, fewer and fewer homes, schools, and other institutions are being constructed and insulated with materials containing asbestos. So why are people still dying?
Property owners, boards of education, and other varous organizations and corporations are often hesitant to remove HVAC duct insulation that contains asbestos, because this procedure is time-consuming and expensive. Asbestos should be removed from properties and buildings frequented by people! When asbestos HVAC duct insulation breaks down with time and use, millions of dangerous asbestos particles can be blown into the air that the HVAC system is meant to clean. People inhabiting these offices and classrooms may breathe in these particles and subsequently develop serious illnesses. However, many of the diseases that are caused by asbestos take many years to fully develop and present symptoms. Often, people who are dying of asbestos-related cancer or mesothelioma were exposed to abestos HVAC duct insulation years or even decades before the first sign of illness.
The delay of symptom onset in asbestos-related illnesses, such as mesothelioma, presents a challenge to claims and litigation. Action must be taken immediately! If you think you or someone you love may have been exposed to HVAC duct insulation that contains asbestos, you shouldn't wait until you become sick to fight back. Contact an attorney experienced in asbestos claims, one who can make sure that the people responsible for manufacturing and exposing you to asbestos are held accountable! Asbestos claims can be complicated and emotionally difficult, but with the right lawyer, you can get the justice you deserve.
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