Archive for the 'Blog' Category

Methods for Eliminating Lead Paint Hazards

Find out which of the 4 lead paint abatement methods is right for your property

Lead paint poses serious health risks, especially to young children who are likely to ingest lead paint flakes or dust while playing. If your home was built before 1978, it’s highly likely that it contains lead paint. Though the hazardous paint layer has probably been covered up multiple times with fresh coats of paint over the years, it could still pose a danger to you and your family should it become exposed and damaged. Fortunately, there are 4 different methods for eliminating lead paint hazards and one of them is sure to be suitable for your situation.

Replacement

The first method for lead paint abatement is replacement, which entails replacing the entire painted material. This method is often used to deal with lead-painted windows. Windows are a prime source of lead paint dust because the friction of opening and closing the sash quickly wears through layers of new paint, exposes the lead paint, and creates lead dust. By removing the entire window and replacing it with a new one, you can…

Key Steps for Safe Asbestos Abatement

AQHI Inc. uses best practices for asbestos abatement to meet or exceed all state and federal requirements

When it comes to dealing with asbestos, simply removing the asbestos-containing materials isn’t enough to neutralize the risk. Proper asbestos abatement procedures must be followed to ensure that no contamination occurs at any stage of the process and the area is left clean and safe afterwards.

Because your safety is a huge priority at AQHI Inc., we offer comprehensive asbestos abatement services designed to ensure that this hazardous material is safely removed from your property in a manner that does not pose additional risk to your health and safety. We strive to meet and even exceed all relevant state and federal regulations for the handling and disposal of asbestos as we perform the following key asbestos abatement activities:

Isolate the Work Area

The first step to a safe asbestos abatement project is to isolate the work area from the rest of the building and from the outdoors. This is done by using heavy-duty plastic sheeting…

Does the Home You’re Buying Contain Lead?

Sellers are required to inform buyers of the known presence of any lead-based paint on the property, but you should still conduct your own lead paint inspection

Naturally, before buying a new home you want to be sure it will be safe for your family to inhabit. You need to be especially careful when buying older homes, as these properties may contain materials that we now know to be extremely dangerous, such as lead paint. Here are the most important steps to take in order to determine whether or not the home you’re buying contains lead.

Consider the Age of the Home

Lead paint was banned for consumer use in 1978, but millions of older homes still contain layers of lead paint, often sealed beneath layers and layers of new paint. Remember, just because the lead paint is covered doesn’t mean it is no longer dangerous! When the top coats of paint become damaged, the lead paint gets exposed and can then deteriorate into chips, flakes, or dust, which may then cause lead poisoning.

24 percent of homes built between 1960 and 1977, 69 percent of homes built between 1940…

Make Sure Lead Safety is Part of Your Renovation

Before renovating a home built prior to 1978, you need to get a lead paint inspection so that the work can be done safely.

Lead is a naturally-occurring element, but in high concentrations it can cause serious health problems, including nervous system ailments, kidney problems, and high blood pressure, as well as learning disabilities and behavior problems in children. In order to avoid inadvertently exposing yourself or your family to lead, it is vital to consider lead safety before beginning a renovation, especially in a home built before 1978.

Get Old Paint Tested

The first step is to get old paint tested to determine if it contains lead. In general, any layer of paint applied between 1940 and 1978 has a high likelihood of containing lead. Be sure to get interior and exterior paint tested. While exterior paint won’t contaminate your home, it will contaminate the adjacent soil which can be just as dangerous, especially for young children.

Hire an EPA Lead-Safe Certified Contractor

If lead-based paint is found in your home, the safest way to renovate is with the help of an EPA Lead-Safe Certified contractor…

AQHI is a Licensed and Certified Asbestos Removal Company in Anaheim CA

Our qualifications give you peace of mind that you’re choosing the right asbestos removal company in Anaheim CA.

Asbestos is a hazardous material that has the potential to cause serious health problems to individuals who get exposed to it. While removing asbestos is often the best way to improve the safety of your property, unfortunately, the act of removing asbestos can actually temporarily increase the risk of exposure if not done properly. That’s why you need to make sure that you’re always working with a licensed and certified asbestos removal company in Anaheim CA like AQHI Inc. We know how to remove asbestos safely and avoid contaminating your property in the process! Here is an overview of our asbestos-related licenses and certifications and how they help us provide superior service.

CA State Contractors License

In order to protect consumers from fraudulent contractors who make outrageous promises and then deliver shoddy work, every contractor performing work worth $500 or more must have a contractors license. By proudly displaying our contractors license, we can prove to our customers that we are a reputable company that operates in accordance with all the guidelines set up…

My Home Was Built in 1970 – Should I Be Worried About Asbestos?

Homes in Los Angeles CA built prior to 1978 often contain asbestos.

If your home in Los Angeles CA was built in or around 1970, you should definitely educate yourself about the dangers of asbestos and exercise caution when handling any material that may potentially contain asbestos. Examples of such materials include roofing shingles, floor tiles, acoustic ceiling tiles, insulation, and paint.

Asbestos Bans

While more than 50 countries have totally banned asbestos, the US isn’t one of them. The EPA passed several bans in the 1970s, and the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1989 banned almost all uses of asbestos. Although the Supreme Court overturned most of this act in 1991, public awareness regarding the dangers of asbestos increased greatly, and today building materials tend to contain less than 1 percent asbestos, a level which is considered safe.

Asbestos Use

The US continues to import asbestos from countries including China, Russia, and Brazil. The peak of asbestos importation occurred in 1973, when 803,000 metric tons of asbestos were imported. In 2012, only 1,060 metric tons were imported, mainly for use by chemical companies creating chlorine. This…

AQMD – What is it and how does it help me?

The AQMD is dedicated to improving air quality in our communities by drafting and enforcing anti-smog regulations.

The AQMD, or Air Quality Management District, is a government air pollution control agency dedicated to improving air quality in Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties. The LA area is the smoggiest region in the country, due to a combination of urban congestion, high greenhouse gas emissions, and geography. The AQMD helps residents and business owners alike ensure that their activities do not contribute to excessive smog, which is hazardous to human health as well as to the planet. The AQMD accomplishes this goal through three main activities:

Establishing Regulations

Every city and county in California must take steps to ensure that they meet the clean air standards established by the Federal Clean Air Act and the California Clean Air Act. The AQMD helps cities and counties with this goal by creating plans, guidelines, and regulations that will enable them to reduce their emissions by five percent or more each year until their ambient air meets the cleanliness standards established by the California Clean Air Act. The main pollutants that are targeted by the…

Asbestos Laws & Regulations – Do They Really Protect Me?

Yes, asbestos laws & regulations protect individuals by striving to prevent exposure to this hazardous material.

Because asbestos is a highly carcinogenic substance that can cause serious health problems ranging from respiratory issues to lung cancer, the federal government and the state of California have both instituted laws and regulations designed to protect individuals from exposure to this hazardous substance.

The Asbestos Ban

Starting in the 1970s, the EPA initiated several bans on various types of asbestos-containing materials, culminating in a near-total ban in 1989 via the Toxic Substances Control Act. While many of the provisions in this act were overturned by the Supreme Court in 1991, asbestos use in America still declined dramatically. Materials containing more than 1 percent asbestos continue to be banned, which has greatly improved the safety of new buildings.

Workplace Protections

The state of California has many asbestos laws and regulations in place designed to protect individuals who many come in contact with asbestos as part of their jobs. The state can actually shut down workplaces if officials have reason to believe that damaged asbestos is present and inadequate steps have been taken to protect employees from airborne asbestos fibers.

Asbestos…

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Are Your Air Ducts Contaminated with Asbestos?

If professional asbestos testing in Orange CA reveals the presence of contamination, call AQHI Inc.

Indoor air quality is one of the most overlooked factors related to the health and safety of your home. One of the worst indoor air contaminants you can encounter is asbestos. While contaminants like carbon monoxide may pose more immediate dangers, at least you can use carbon monoxide detectors to provide an early warning of contamination. There is no such home detection system for asbestos, yet inhaling asbestos fibers over an extended period of time can prove every bit as deadly. If you suspect that the air ducts in your home in Orange CA could be contaminated with asbestos, you need to get professional help immediately.

How to Tell if Your Ducts Might Be Contaminated

There are several red flags that might indicate that your air ducts could be contaminated with asbestos. First of all, consider the age of your home. If your home was built before the wave of asbestos bans in the 1970s, chances are very good that you have asbestos in your home.

Next, examine the insulation around your air ducts. If any of this insulation…

Are You Looking for a Qualified Asbestos Removal Company in Glendale CA?

Be sure to check for the necessary licenses, certifications, and insurance before hiring an asbestos removal company in Glendale CA

If you have damaged asbestos-containing materials in your home, you need to stop taking chances with your health and get professional asbestos removal as soon as possible. Considering that asbestos is so dangerous, you might be feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of picking a contractor for the job. You need to get a qualified asbestos removal company Glendale CA in order to ensure that the job gets done correctly and safely. Here’s how to make sure that happens.

Check Licenses and Certifications

Using an unlicensed or incompetent contractor could actually make the asbestos contamination in your home worse. In some cases, contractors have actually been seen throwing asbestos-containing materials down from the rooftops of homes or engaging in other behaviors that are clearly unsafe. The asbestos-containing materials should be disturbed as little as possible during the removal process, not manhandled or broken in a rough manner that will release more asbestos fibers into the air.

By checking the licenses and certifications of the asbestos removal company Glendale CA you are considering, you can make…