Asbestos

Buying and Selling Tips     (中文版)

 

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a natural mineral with unusual qualities. It is strong enough to resist high temperatures, chemical attack and wear.  It insulates well against heat and electricity.

Asbestos crystals are long, flexible, silky fibres, it can be made into a wide variety of forms and can also be added to materials as diverse as cotton and cement. This combination of properties gives asbestos performance capabilities that are difficult to match.

Asbestos was used in office buildings, public buildings and schools. It insulated hot water heating systems, and was put into walls and ceilings as insulation against fire and sound. Asbestos has also been widely used in transportation and electrical appliances.

Asbestos has also been found in many products around the house. It has been used in clapboard; shingles and felt for roofing; exterior siding; pipe and boiler covering; compounds and cement, such as caulk, putty, roof patching, furnace cement and driveway coating; wallboard; textured and latex paints; acoustical ceiling tiles and plaster; vinyl floor tiles; appliance wiring; hair dryers; irons and ironing board pads; flame-resistant aprons and electric blankets; and clay pottery. Loose-fill vermiculite insulation may contain asbestos.

In the early 1980s, people aware regular exposure to asbestos involved health risks, the use of asbestos declines dramatically ever since.  Asbestos poses health risks only when fibres are in the air that people breathe. Asbestos fibres lodge in the lungs, causing scarring that can ultimately lead to severely impaired lung function (asbestosis) and cancers of the lungs or lung cavity.

People can put themselves at risk, if they do not take proper precautions when repairs or renovations disturb asbestos containing materials. This can occur in a number of situations:

• Disturbing loose-fill vermiculite insulation which may contain asbestos
• Removing deteriorating roofing shingles and siding containing asbestos, or tampering with roofing felt that contains asbestos
• Ripping away old asbestos insulation from around a hot water tank
• Sanding or scraping vinyl asbestos floor tiles
• Breaking apart acoustical ceilings tiles containing asbestos
• Sanding plaster containing asbestos, or sanding or disturbing acoustical plaster that gives ceilings and walls a soft, textured look
• Sanding or scraping older water-based asbestos coatings such as roofing compounds, spackling, sealants, paint, putty, caulking or drywall
• Sawing, drilling or smoothing rough edges of new or old asbestos material

If you do not know if products in your home contain asbestos, have an experienced contractor inspect them. If there is asbestos, the best interim measure (unless the product is peeling or deteriorating) is to seal the surface temporarily so that fibres will not be released into indoor air. If the product is already protected or isolated, simply leave it alone.

It is a complex and expensive matter to remove asbestos, and should be done by an experienced contractor.  Everybody who works with asbestos should always wear an approved face mask and gloves, along with protective clothing. Be sure to tape sleeve and trouser cuffs, and wash clothes separately after use. Keep the work area moist to keep dust and fibre particles from floating into the air. Isolate the work space.

Topics of Coming Edition

What is urea formaldehyde foam insulation.

Source : Canada Mortgage and Housing Corperation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Radon

                  Buying and Selling Tips – February Edition

 

What is Radon

Radon is a colourless, odourless gas that is widely present in the earth’s surface. It comes from the radioactive breakdown of uranium. Uranium occurs naturally and can be found in small amounts in the soil, water and air. Radon seeps into a home from surrounding soil. It comes up through pores in the soil under homes and buildings through gaps and cracks in the foundation, concrete walls and floors, and other openings. Unsafe levels of radon could accumulate in poorly ventilated homes and buildings. Radon is usually not a problem outdoors as the air quickly dilutes it to lower levels. It sometimes contaminates well water. Radon can be inhaled deep into the lungs and damage lung tissue. Exposure to high levels of radon increases the risk of developing lung cancer. Your risk depends on the amount of time you are exposed to radon. Radon also increases the risk of lung cancer from smoking. Since radon concentration varies from house to house even in the same area, the only way to find out is to test for it. There are two ways of getting your home tested for radon.

            1.    You can purchase a radon detector such as a charcoal canister, or an alpha-track detector in some retail stores that sell building, hardware or health care products. They are also available online or by mail through companies that specialize in home improvement and radiation safety. You can leave these devices in your home for a specific period of time and then send them to a laboratory for analysis. The cost of the test using these simple devices is about $50.

            2.    You can hire a trained technician or a professional home inspector to test for radon levels in your home. For a list of service providers, you can contact Health Canada.

Radon levels may vary daily depending on the climate, indoor ventilation and heating systems used. The best time to measure radon levels in your home is during cold weather (e.g., October to April) when indoor radon levels are generally highest. Health Canada recommends testing for a minimum of three months. Radon levels are usually higher in basements and other areas of the home that are in contact with soil.

The best way to reduce the levels of radon in your home is to reduce radon emission from the ground into your home by caulking and sealing cracks and holes in basement floors and walls. Painting the basement floor and wall surfaces may also help. If this is not sufficient to reduce the level, you can increase your ventilation by opening a window where fresh air can enter into your home or by using filtration device.

Topics of Coming Edition

What is Asbestos?

 

 

Source: Toronto.ca and Toronto Real Estate Board

 

Title Insurance

Buying and Selling Tips – January Edition

What is Title Insurance

Title Insurance is an insurance policy that protects residential or commercial property owners against losses related to the property’s title or ownership.  Title insurance is not a requirement in Ontario.  The decision on whether or not you should purchase title insurance should be discussed with your lawyer to fully understand what type of protection title insurance can provide you and to determine if other options exist.

For a one time fee, called a premium, a title insurance policy may provide protection from such losses such as unknown title defects, existing liens against the property’s title, encroachment issues, title fraud, and errors in surveys and public records.

Your title insurance policy will protect you as long as you own your property, and will cover losses up to the maximum coverage set out in the policy.  It may also cover most legal expenses related to restoring your property’s title.

Residential title insurance is usually purchased for new home or existing residences.  If you are planning to purchase a house or condominium, or even if you already own a home, you may want to consider purchasing residential title insurance.  The value of residential title insurance varies based on the value of your property, and the insurance company you choose.

You can purchase residential title insurance through your lawyer or title insurance company, or you can contact an insurance agent/broker.  When purchasing residential title insurance make sure your property is insured for its full value, and your policy’s effective date is the same as your property’s closing date.

Topics of Coming Edition

Environmental Hazards such as UFFI, asbestos, lead, mould, and radon.

Source: Financial Service Commission of Ontario and Canadian Real Estate Association