# How dangerous is asbestos **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 22, 2013, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-asbestos/656374 "2013-04-22T02:36:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-asbestos/656374/21 "2013-04-22T19:31:22Z")
> [@Carryon](#): > > See this is what I don’t understand. In a nearby city, they were going to convert a Best Western Hotel into a retirement home. The paper said the cost of cleaning up the asbestos was too much so they were leaving it as a hotel. > > The paper seemed to imply that asbestos is not harmful if left undisturbed and it’s only when it’s disturbed and inhaled that you have issues. > > Now I don’t get how conversion would disturb this but leaving it as a hotel wouldn’t. I imagine they’re saying the asbestos is only disturbed if they convert the building, which would require ripping out old pipes and walls. Also regulations may require no asbestos at a retirement home so they’d have to remove it even if it wouldn’t otherwise be disturbed. Exposed asbestos can be covered up, but it’s expensive if you have to start removing it. ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-asbestos/656374/22 "2013-04-22T22:05:05Z")
It all depends. My father was exposed to it most of his life. 15 years in the US Marchant Marine. Then time working on boilers and Ice and cold storage plants. He also smoked. He passed at the age of 79 from heart failure. I have also been exposed to it on ships and ashore. I am now 65 and no problems have showned up. But others have had problems with just a few expossulres. It all depends on your body. Normally I do not mess with the stuff now. And if I do I make sure that it is not friable. Keeping it wet while removing will help to keep it out of the air you breath. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-asbestos/656374/23 "2013-04-24T17:29:47Z")
One thing that worries me is I have a 1970’s era house and I hear the popcorn-ceilings can have asbestos in them. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-asbestos/656374/24 "2013-04-24T17:55:25Z")
as long as the ceiling, even if it contains asbestos, isn’t falling down you’re OK. keep it painted and in good condition. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-asbestos/656374/25 "2013-04-24T18:15:14Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > as long as the ceiling, even if it contains asbestos, isn’t falling down you’re OK. keep it painted and in good condition. It does have a few cracks in it, some minor water damage from a windowsill upstairs that leaked. I guess I need to get it tested. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-asbestos/656374/26 "2013-04-24T19:21:11Z")
> [@Carryon](#): > > . . .The paper seemed to imply that asbestos is not harmful if left undisturbed and it’s only when it’s disturbed and inhaled that you have issues. > > Now I don’t get how conversion would disturb this but leaving it as a hotel wouldn’t. Also a lot of regulations leave things that were built under old regulations alone (they’re ‘grandfathered in’), but requre things to be brought up to code if you do anything that requires getting a building permit. Applying for the permit to do even minor remodelling will trigger a lot of regulations. That hotel might also have to be made completely ADA accessible, rather than just mostly accessible in some areas. In our area, they’d also have to replace any damaged sidewalk, add compact slots in their parking lot, potentially a lot of things, if the building is old enough. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2013, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-asbestos/656374/27 "2013-04-25T01:12:56Z")
[QUOTE=control-z] It does have a few cracks in it, some minor water damage from a windowsill upstairs that leaked. I guess I need to get it tested. [/QUOTE] As long as you don’t take a sander to the ceiling, you should be fine. If you want to paint it, use a sprayer. Using a roller or brush on popcorn tends to knock some of it loose, unless it’s already been painted so many times that the ceiling texture is thoroughly encapsulated. Frankly, you’re more likely to be injured by falling off a ladder while painting, than by any asbestos that may or may not be in the ceiling. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2013, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-asbestos/656374/28 "2013-04-25T04:48:47Z")
Guys, lay off the poor widdle carcinogen. It’s doing asbestos it can. I’m sorry, I had to. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-asbestos/656374.md?page=1)