Asbestos was widely used as a component of ‘popcorn' ceiling in homes or in the form of asbestos ceiling tiles. It was also used as decorative sprays on the walls or for soundproofing purposes. However, off late there has been a lot of concern regarding the use of asbestos ceiling tiles because of harmful affects of asbestos particles on human health.
Hazards of Asbestos ceiling tiles
Asbestos contains deadly silicate fibers that can be airborne on applying physical force on asbestos ceiling tiles. The fibers when inhaled are retained by the lungs and cause potent lung disorders, such as mesothelioma or asbestosis. Even if ceilings are asbestos-free, certain insulation materials like Zonolite used in attic floors, can release toxic levels of asbestos while fixing a ceiling fan or a light. Asbestos ceiling tiles may contain formaldehyde and such volatile organic compounds as components. Asbestos found in ceiling tiles, if in good condition, causes no risk but loose, damp or crumbly asbestos is dangerous. Drilling and scraping of such material is a health hazard. In those cases, the building owners should remove the asbestos ceiling tiles or take necessary steps to prevent asbestos exposure due to asbestos contaminated ceiling tiles.
Safe Handling of Asbestos ceiling tiles
The best way is to avoid the use of asbestos ceiling tiles. However, if you are using asbestos ceiling tiles, you must take necessary precautions to avoid asbestos exposure. Some of the steps are:
Select low-emitting ceiling tiles certified by a reputed organization like Greenguard Environmental Institute.
Use porous ceiling tiles that trap odors and chemicals emitted from building activities.
Install ceiling tiles in a building only after painting, flooring or other such work is over. This prevents the ceiling tiles from absorbing and retaining the chemicals and organic solvents.
Recycle old ceiling tiles under new programs.
Hire professionals to reconstruct asbestos ceiling tiles as they adhere to safety norms and rules. Avoid sanding and dry-buffing asbestos floors.
Follow wet stripping or use low abrasion pads below 300 rpm to avoid exposure.
Report any broken ceiling tiles to Environmental Health & Safety Department.
File an Employee Exposure Report within 24 hours or as soon as possible with the Environmental Health & Safety Department in case of accidental exposure to asbestos.
Remember! A minor exposure to asbestos fibers can cause lung disorders, asbestosis or mesothelioma. Therefore, it is better to safe than sorry.
Ceiling Tiles For Sale
Whether you're remodeling a room or an entire house, there's one area that's overlooked that shouldn't be - the ceiling! When considering the whole room during a remodel the ceiling can play an important role in making a room look its best. The use of a drop ceiling or ceiling tiles can help you to put that extra sparkle in a room that will make it stand out above all others.
A drop ceiling is simply a "false" ceiling that can be set at any height. Whether you want an eight-foot ceiling or a twelve-foot ceiling a drop ceiling can be adjusted to please your tastes for any room. Drop ceilings are easy to install and require little maintenance to retain their beauty.
When considering what type of drop ceiling to install you need to consider things such as tile size and height of ceiling. Drop ceiling tiles come in a variety of sizes ranging from 24 x 24 inches to 24 x 48 inches. When working with large heights it is recommended that smaller ceiling tiles be used for ease of installation.
Ceiling tiles is another option to be considered when remodeling a room. These tiles attach directly to the existing ceiling in your home and can add a luster to room that is hard to match.
Ceiling tiles come in a multitude of styles and sizes and with little effort you can find a style that will compliment any room perfectly. These styles are so varied that you can almost think of ceiling tiles in the same manner as floor tiles. In much the same way ceiling tiles can be found that will match almost any flooring such as wood planks or diamond patterns.
Installation of ceiling tiles is easy to understand and easy to do. In most cases you can glue the ceiling tiles directly to you cleaned existing ceiling. With other types of tiles, such as the wood planks, installation will require you to first attach firing strips to the existing ceiling in order to attach the new wood planks.
Most companies provide easy to understand step-by-step instructions that walk the user through the installation process. Sometime these instructions are given in a video format that helps the user by being able to actually see the process as it happens.
When choosing what style of tile to use it is helpful to visit many of the manufacturers web sites. By visiting these sites you can become familiar with the various styles and patterns that are available. This is better than going to a local retailer first because the retailer may not always carry all the styles that a company will offer. If this is the case then with just the click of a few buttons you can order your new ceiling tiles directly from the company and generally at a discounted price.
So remember that when you are planning on remodeling a room don't forget to consider the ceiling with as much care and planning as you would any other part of the room. An old ceiling redone with new ceiling tiles can help a room to stand out and look its very best.
Both Kirsten Hawkins & Tom Sample are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.