Hey everyone! I'm feeling really stressed after removing some siding and tar paper from my house, which I think might contain asbestos (waiting for tests to confirm). I tried to be careful—I wore a mask, gloves, and wet down the material while removing it to minimize dust. I even laid down plastic to contain it. However, I didn't think to wear a tyvek suit. Now I'm freaking out because my wife took our 7-month-old daughter outside the next day, and I still had some pieces of siding and tar paper lying around that I was trying to clean up. I'm also worried since I recently washed my clothes that might have asbestos fibers on them. Should I be getting an air test or testing my clothes? I mean, I live in a house built in the 50s, so it's likely there's asbestos, right? A lot of people say I'm overreacting, but as a new dad and homeowner, I'm just trying to do my best! Any advice would really help me out!
1 Answer
Look, I get why you're worried. Asbestos can be dangerous, but minor exposure like yours typically doesn't lead to long-term issues. You really need significant, repeated exposure over a long time before it could affect anyone. So take a deep breath—you're probably overreacting a bit, and you'll likely all be fine!
But what about my clothes? I'm worried I might have spread it to my wife and daughter's clothes too. Should I just toss them?