Asbestos is called the ‘magic mineral’ because it has high thermal resistance. This property, more than anything else, led to its amazing popularity. Since asbestos was touted as being fireproof, it found its way into floor tiles, construction and ceiling material, insulation, packing, gaskets, and everything else that needed high resistance to fire.

One of the important uses of asbestos was in the production of fireproof doors. These fireproof doors were made with a central core of amosite and chrysotile material. The outer part of the door was then cased with metal or wood. In case of a fire, these doors would effectively put an end to spreading of the flames.

Fire doors are safe if they are well preserved. However, any service of the fire retardant doors that disturbs the core of the door requires specialized handling as it can release asbestos dust into the air. Drilling, sanding, abrading, or any work that generates dust is potentially dangerous.

The people most at risk of exposure from asbestos fire doors, besides residents, are locksmiths and custodians. These workers are generally not equipped to perform maintenance or intrusive work on asbestos. If they are unaware of what they are handling, they may release asbestos dust into the environment.

Every year, many doors are cut, broken, sanded, or thrown away. Some of these could contain asbestos. Asbestos containing fire doors cannot be disposed off with normal trash. But unavailability of relevant information leads to asbestos-reinforced doors ending up with ordinary trash.

One of the reasons of high risk from fire doors is that the presence of asbestos cannot be ascertained from appearance or age. Building records hardly ever indicate the presence of asbestos in fire doors. Doorplates can only confirm the presence of asbestos and cannot be used as the sole authority for deducing the presence of asbestos. You would never know if you live or work near fire doors. If your house or office building has been built during the twentieth century, the doors may quite possibly contain asbestos.

It is always advisable to ascertain the composition of the materials that went into the making of your house. If you find asbestos reinforced material, you could be eligible for insurance claim. Contact an asbestos attorney using the form at the bottom of this page to know more.