Be Careful For Asbestos

9/8/2020 (Permalink)

As late fall and eventually wintertime arrives in Framingham, MA so will good oldfassion New England snow storms. The issue with snow is that if the outside temperature rises too fast the melting snow can cause excessive flood damage to your commercial or residential property. When the snow melts, especially if piles of it are up against the exterior of your property, the resulting water can infiltrate the property.

The problem with vast amounts of rapidly melting snow is that the resulting water has nowhere to go, especially if the ground remains frozen. While properties may be "water-tight", they are never "waterproof". Cracks in foundations, improperly installed flashing, rotten clapboard siding, damaged weatherstripping are just a few common entryways for migrating water to find its way inside a property.

Depending on the severity, the resulting damage can range from wet carpets to actual structural damage. When carpet become wet they can suffer from delamination (the backing of the carpet becomes separated from its fibers) requiring the carpeting, and possibly the padding, to be removed replaced. Along with carpeting, hardwood and laminate flooring are also extremely susceptible to damage from moisture. This damage is usually more noticeable as the building materials can bow and may even pull apart.

When the resulting damage requires the removal of the flooring materials down to the subfloor, it is always a good idea to consult an expert. Why? Hidden danger may exist. Older flooring materials and adhesives may contain asbestos, which is extremely hazardous and can only be removed by professional mitigators. The certified technicians are trained at identifying the warning signs of materials that contain asbestos and know how to safely remove samples for testing. If any harmful minerals are found we will bring in certified asbestos mitigation teams to properly and safely remove the hazardous materials.

Calling in the experts of SERVPRO of Framingham at (508) 370-4400 will help you identify any potential risks associated with asbestos.