Exposure to airborne asbestos fibres is well known as a workplace safety hazard and a leading cause of death of workers in BC, but one group of people may still be at risk from the silent killer: property owners.
Before starting work on any home or commercial renovation project, property owners are advised to have their home or building tested for asbestos, says Dylan Parsons, owner of Winmar Powell River, a locally-owned property restoration company.
Dylan and Ingrid Parsons opened the business in November last year. The company is one of more than 90 independently owned Winmar franchises across Canada. Winmar has been in the business of helping property owners restore their homes and commercial properties after disasters since 1977. Winmar offers restoration services for properties damaged due to fires, floods, or high winds.
Dylan and his team bring a range of skills and experience from many years of work in construction and restoring buildings and homes, he says.
“Winmar is one of Powell River’s reliable property restoration specialists and we also specialize in testing for and abating homes that have mould and asbestos problems,” adds Dylan.
All Winmar staff members are trained to AHERA (Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act) standards and have continued education on hazardous materials handling.
Asbestos is a strong, fire-resistant mineral fibre that was commonly used in the past as insulation against heat and noise, and as fire protection.
Asbestos is not harmful so long as it remains undisturbed, but renovating or demolishing a house or building containing asbestos products can release its extremely small and fine fibres into the air, which can remain there for hours. Breathing in these fibres can cause serious health problems, including lung disease or cancer.
“Asbestos itself does not pose a risk if it’s not disturbed,” explains Dylan. “But it is often overlooked when homeowners complete renovations themselves.”
Asbestos was used in more than 3,000 different common building materials from the 1950s until the early 1990s, says Dylan. It can be found in drywall (in the compound or mud used in the joints), linoleum or sheet vinyl flooring, vinyl tiles, stucco, pipe and ducting tape or wrap used on older furnace ducting, and vermiculite found in attics, to name a few. It was also added to building materials such as cement to improve its structural strength.
According to WorkSafeBC, asbestos exposure is referred to as the “silent killer” because workers are often unaware they are breathing in the material. Workers exposed to the fibres do not generally experience its health impacts until many years or decades after the exposure.
Winmar Powell River is available for any size of asbestos abatement projects. Property owners considering starting any size of renovation projects are encouraged to call Dylan before starting work.
“We have many years of experience completing asbestos removal jobs, from small ones, such as removing pipe-wrap that contains the hazardous material, to large ones where we completed a full abatement on a 6,500 square foot building,” says Dylan.
More information about the company can be found online at winmarpowellriver.com.
“If you’re thinking about completing any home renovations where asbestos-containing materials may be present, contact us for a free consultation,” says Dylan. “We are happy to provide you with guidance on the best way to proceed to prevent anyone from being exposed to asbestos.”
Winmar Powell River is located at 103-7105 Duncan Street. Dylan and Ingrid can be reached by phone at 604.485.7335 during regular business hours or on their 24/7 emergency line at 604.413.3844.
