Homes can harbor many substances that can do long lasting harm. Though they often lie undisturbed for decades, remodeling work can expose workers and homeowners. We take this seriously and plan ahead to deal properly with these eventualities.
The most important step starts before we swing a hammer. We use our experience in Philadelphia homes to predict what we might find, and sometimes do exploratory demolition to see what we find.

If we don’t know, but expect we might have change order costs due to substances discovered, we will include a clause in your contract so you know what this cost might look like if hazardous materials are discovered.

When renovation work is done on old homes, lead paint is often disturbed. The EPA's RRP lead safety law defines an old home at risk as one built before 1978. We are certified to work according to the RRP law.

The bad news is, dust containing lead particles when ingested or inhaled, can cause lasting brain damage, especially in children. The good news is, lead is heavy, so it drops straight down, and if contained and cleaned up, these particles don’t need to affect our employee’s or your health.

In Philadelphia multi-family buildings, testing by a certified inspector has to be done prior to starting demolition, to see if asbestos is present. Sometimes, if there are floor tiles, siding, or insulation visible, it is possible to determine that remediation will be necessary. But often, these materials have been covered up under layers of subsequent renovations. If this is the case, they will be uncovered during demolition. When this happens, we stop work and call our asbestos remediation partner. Unlike lead, asbestos particles do not fall quickly to the ground. They float in the air and so the procedure for dealing with these materials is more restrictive, and air testing is required.

Mold is another material you will uncover, and this is a substance that is more common in newer homes than old homes, because of the prevelance of drywall. Drywall, sheetrock, gypsum wallboard - whatever you call it, mold loves to grow on it. The method for dealing with it once found with differ depending on the amount, type, and location found

Whatever the hazard, you can be sure that Buckminster Green will handle the situation in a safe and professional manner, so you can rest easy that you’ll end your remodeling experience with a healthier home than you started.

Handling Hazardous Materials in Remodeling