The decision to renovate your home involves much consideration into what products and changes you wish to make. And it is very important that for dwellings built before 1980 - you consider the possibility that asbestos was used in the construction of your home. Asbestos was a very popular building material between 1930 and 1980 because of its exceptional insulating, fire-resistant and reinforcing properties. Left undisturbed, asbestos is safe – but if renovating and having to cut through ceilings or soffits you need to be aware that if exposed or damaged, it can be harmful with fibres getting lodged in lungs and potentially leading to breathing difficulties or even lung cancer. For this reason the Ministry of Health advises home owners not to undertake home maintenance or renovations on materials that may contain asbestos - or the disposal of such materials. If you are concerned that there may be asbestos in your home talk to a health protection officer about what to do. You can arrange to have your house tested for the presence of asbestos fibres. If you want to remove or seal asbestos, the Ministry of Health advises that people use WorkSafe NZ-certified contractors to undertake any work with asbestos. For a list of certified contractors click here.https://simx.co.nz/pdf/certified-asbestos-contractors.pdf