Asbestos in plaster wall12/5/2023 Many Louisiana homes constructed in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s were outfitted with asphalt, linoleum, or vinyl floor tiles laid down in high-traffic areas such as kitchens and bathrooms. Therefore, it is wise to be aware of the numerous asbestos products that might still be present in your home today. Mesothelioma cancer is known to be caused only by exposure to asbestos. In about 2,500 people per year, carcinogenic asbestos fibers can lead to an aggressive and hard-to-treat malignancy known as mesothelioma. Microscopic asbestos fibers can settle into the linings of the lungs or abdomen and fester there for decades, eventually building up enough scar tissue to impair breathing or abdominal function and cause cancer. Manufacturers have known since the 1930s that the inhalation and ingestion of asbestos is extremely toxic. Widely acclaimed for its strength, insulating and fire-resistant properties, asbestos fibers were incorporated into everything from floor tile and interior paints to siding and roof shingles throughout the 1900s. The mid-century housing boom coincided with a massive proliferation of home construction products that included the natural mineral asbestos. The classic “ranch house” in suburbia also came into its own during this time, as middle-class Louisianans began to see owning a home on a leafy, suburban street as their ticket to the American dream. While most of these houses have long since been enlarged or razed, there are still good examples of the original style near Chennault Air Base in Lake Charles. The earliest post-war houses built to meet Louisiana’s pressing need for shelter were small, box-like affairs known as “GI Specials”. The population of Louisiana grew by almost 100,000 from 1940 to 1960, leading to a shortage of housing in Louisiana and other states. Bill enabling returning servicemen to make home purchases with no down-payment, the housing industry skyrocketed, forever transforming the Louisiana landscape as suburban tract homes were mass-produced by the thousands. The post-war housing boomįollowing the end of World War II, housing construction across Louisiana and elsewhere increased dramatically as servicemen returned from the war, took civilian jobs, married, and needed homes in which to raise their families. But a dangerous contaminant could have been lurking in your home long before that. The Chinese drywall fiasco after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 was bad enough. Toxic asbestos products in older homes an ongoing threatĪs if hurricanes, floods, and breached levees were not enough for Louisiana homeowners to worry about, you might want to give some thought to the materials used in your home’s original construction, especially if it was built before 1980.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |