A homeowner’s viral TikTok video showing asbestos-containing floor tiles beneath carpet in her 1890s Ohio home has sparked widespread conversations about the likelihood of the toxic material being hidden in older properties. Though Lora Current, 24, didn’t initially recognize the green tiles as a potential hazard, her followers warned her about asbestos exposure and the risk of mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other diseases if she continued her home renovations on her own.
Viral Video Becomes Safety Warning About Mesothelioma
Current’s experience brought new, much-needed attention to the risk of mesothelioma posed by legacy asbestos in homes built before the 1980s. It’s an issue potentially facing millions of homeowners undertaking renovation projects. Though her initial post was meant to solicit decorating advice for the green tiles she’d found under old carpeting, the photos she posted got a deluge of unexpected and immediate warnings about the asbestos the tiles contained and the risk they posed.
Many homes built before the mid-1980s contain asbestos in various materials, including floor tiles, which typically contained 6-12% chrysotile asbestos. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, asbestos materials aren’t automatically dangerous simply because they exist—the danger arises when materials become damaged and release fibers into the air, as happens during renovation projects.
Real Cases, Real Consequences
The threat of mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other diseases from asbestos exposure during home renovation isn’t theoretical. Santo Lanza died from malignant pleural mesothelioma in 2014 after years of exposure to asbestos-containing Amtico floor tiles during home renovation projects in Brooklyn between 1963 and the early 1980s. His son John testified extensively about helping his father with installation and removal work that involved cutting, sanding, and sweeping up asbestos-contaminated dust. And a 2016 case study published in the International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health documented a non-smoking woman who developed lung cancer after 18 years of exposure to deteriorating acoustic ceilings in her apartment that left white asbestos dust throughout her living space.
It’s common for homes built before 1990 to contain asbestos in floor tiles, popcorn ceilings, insulation, siding, roofing materials, and textured paints, and though these materials don’t risk mesothelioma when they’re intact, once they’re disturbed, the material can break down into fibers that, if inhaled or ingested, can become deadly. Professional testing is the only reliable way to confirm the presence of asbestos, as visual identification is unreliable.
How Homeowners Can Protect Themselves Against Mesothelioma
To guard against mesothelioma and other illnesses, the EPA advises leaving undamaged asbestos-containing materials alone, avoiding activities that could disturb them, and never using power tools to sand, drill, or saw potentially contaminated materials. Activities like sanding floor tiles or removing popcorn ceilings can generate dangerous asbestos emissions. If homeowners find asbestos, they have three options: encasement (covering materials with ceiling panels or paint), encapsulation (treating materials to bind fibers), or professional removal by certified asbestos abatement contractors. DIY removal of asbestos materials is dangerous and potentially illegal. Licensed professionals follow strict protocols, including sealing work areas, wearing protective gear, properly disposing of materials, and ensuring complete cleanup.
The best mesothelioma prevention strategy is avoiding asbestos exposure entirely. Those with past exposure should inform their doctor and request regular health screenings. For homeowners tackling renovation projects, hiring licensed asbestos professionals before starting work can prevent exposure that may not cause health problems until decades later—mesothelioma’s latency period typically ranges from 14 to 72 years.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net can help. Contact us today at 1-800-692-8608 to learn more.
