Why Get Lead and Asbestos Testing on Water Jobs?

7/9/2021 (Permalink)

On many of the water damage jobs that we complete, we call in an independent, third-party company to test for lead and asbestos. For many people, that comes as a surprise.

Unless you’ve experienced catastrophic water damage yourself, you probably don’t know much about the restoration process.

Most people, when they call us, assume that the bulk of the water damage restoration process entails extracting standing water and maybe setting up a few fans.

If only that were true. In many cases, if the water sits for any extended period of time, it will wick up into the structure and become trapped. Even if a wall feels dry to the touch, it could hold tremendous amounts of moisture that will cause structural damage and mold growth if not properly dealt with.

Sometimes, it’s possible to dry a wet wall simply through air movement and dehumidification. But often, we run into situations where it is faster and more cost-effective to cut out a portion of the wall so that we’re able to access trapped moisture directly.

That’s where lead and asbestos testing often come in. In the seventies, the United States outlawed the use of lead-based paint and many asbestos-containing building materials. Most structures built before that point have some level of lead and asbestos.

So, before we have to do demolition on a water job, we’ll often bring in a third-party company to test for lead and asbestos. This can slightly extend the timeline, but it’s worth it to keep homeowners and our team safe.