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Calgarians are required to have a professional test their home for asbestos before they can be issued either a demolition or renovation permit. This is because asbestos has the potential to cause great harm both to the renovator and everyone else exposed to the fibers. If asbestos is discovered in your home or if you need asbestos removed in order to move forward with a project, the experts at Aztec Group can help. http://goo.gl/mE3A1X

Because asbestos has the potential to be so dangerous, it isn’t commonly used anymore. However, homeowners with an older house likely have asbestos lingering in their home. During the 50s over 1000 common household items contained asbestos. New homes may also have asbestos. Rigid, strong building materials like ceiling and floor tiles, siding, and roofing shingles often still contain asbestos. The asbestos in these materials is trapped and unable to escape as long as the material remains in good shape. http://goo.gl/6filpP

The problem with asbestos lies in its structure. The mineral is made of very fine hair-like fibers. When inhaled, these fibers get lodged in your lungs. The trapped fibers can then cause many problems down the road. Most notably, exposure to asbestos fibers can lead to asbestosis and mesothelioma (a particularly nasty type of lung cancer). The experts at Aztec have the equipment and knowledge to remove asbestos without contaminating the area. When we abate the asbestos in your home or workplace, we make sure that everyone is kept safe. http://goo.gl/bYZIal

Most people have heard about asbestos. It’s a naturally occurring mineral that’s found all over the world. For a long time, asbestos was used by humans as a material for all sort of things. It’s fireproof, chemically inert, and affordable. These traits lead to asbestos being used in everything from ceiling tiles to firefighter uniforms and artificial snow. However, much has changed since department stores used to keep piles of the stuff for kids to play in during the Christmas season. http://goo.gl/Ycq531

When you’re a homeowner hiring a team to renovate or demolish part or all of your house, the lives and health of the people you hire are in your hands. It’s up to you to make sure that the premise is properly checked for asbestos and that the contractor working on your home has all the information they need in order to keep their people safe. That means there can’t be any best guesses. Remember that disturbed asbestos could continue to release fibers into the air for years. Everyone who spends any amount of time in the home would be at risk. http://goo.gl/8EFTzA

Any asbestos or asbestos-containing materials must be removed before you can start your renovation or demolition work. Again, you’ll have to bring in a specialized team to carefully remove the asbestos from your home. This is not a do-it-yourself project. Our expert team has the knowledge to handle asbestos safely. We can keep you, your family, your neighbours, and our employees healthy while the asbestos is removed. No one lacking the proper training and equipment should attempt to remove asbestos. http://goo.gl/TDr9cG

Planning a renovation? It’s up to you to have your home thoroughly examined for asbestos or asbestos-containing materials. Any materials that are going to be handled, disturbed, or interacted with in anyway during the work must be tested. This means having a professional team like the experts at Aztec out to take samples on site. We then test materials back in our lab. We’ll bring you our report. If you don’t have any asbestos, great! If you do, things just got a bit complicated for you. http://goo.gl/PsVYdz

So you want to get a work permit for a renovation on your home, and you know that you need to do have the work site checked for asbestos or something. But what exactly are your responsibilities as a homeowner in this situation? http://goo.gl/mKEaxl

Historians and anthropologists are still arguing over the likelihood of ergot’s role in the trials at Salem and throughout Europe. Perhaps ergot played a large role, but perhaps it was only a small part of the insanity. At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter, and it’ll be hard to ever really know.

What does matter is that over the centuries a lot of people have died from coming in contact and consuming mycotoxins like the ones found in ergot and mould. http://goo.gl/P61eL4

The symptoms described by those cursed by witches in Salem and the symptoms caused by ergot poisoning are very similar. The victims of the witches described symptoms such as creepy crawling sensations in the skin, tingling fingertips, vertigo, tinnitus, headaches, disturbances in sensation, hallucinations, painful muscular contractions, vomiting, and diarrhea. All of these symptoms are also caused by ergot poisoning. Other psychological symptoms of ergot include mania, melancholia, psychosis, and delirium. This could explain the general histeria and craziness that was affecting those taking part in witch and werewolf hunts. http://goo.gl/n2fRIn

Are you familiar with the Salem witch trials? Did you know that a lot of the histeria might have been a direct cause of mycotoxins similar to the ones found in mould?

Ergot fungi produce mycotoxins that cause a variety of interesting effects in humans (as well as other mammals). First of all, the mycotoxins in ergot are hallucinogenic. In fact, the drug LSD was first synthesized from chemicals found in ergot. Hallucinogenic bread could explain why people were seeing things they couldn’t understand or thought were magical in nature. http://goo.gl/FgVfns

We’ve spoken before about how mould can produce mycotoxins, and that mycotoxins can then have all kinds of nasty effects on humans. In the past, mycotoxins consumed on tainted rye have made people believe they were seeing witches or that their neighbours were werewolves. http://goo.gl/rrnvmx

Small flies and visible rot is a sign that things have gotten a little out of hand. When you don’t notice the moisture and ignore the smell, a large scale mould infestation is nearly inevitable. If you’re business has heavily discoloured ceiling panels, mould splotches on the walls or carpet, or small flies that are seemingly coming out of nowhere, it’s past time to call in the experts at Aztec Group. If your business is contaminated with mould, you, your employees, and your clients will be at risk for becoming ill. http://goo.gl/7TpPyL

Rotten or a mildew smell is one of the first signs that something may be lurking behind the walls or under the floorboards. People may not outcompete dogs in a smelling competition any time soon, but we humans are still pretty great at detecting rot in our food or dwellings. If you catch a mould infestation when it’s just beginning to smell, there’s a good chance that the mould can be dealt with quickly and easily. http://goo.gl/7SyCcl

Moisture and condensation are necessary ingredients for mould growth. High humidity levels in kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms often leave a thin layer of water on the walls. Laundromats, restaurants, and other businesses with these rooms should keep a careful eye on the humidity level. In basements and storage rooms, the cold cement and walls may allow condensation even if humidity levels are relatively low. Where you find wet walls and rooms, you find a mould problem waiting to happen. Adding ventilation, insulating cold walls, and installing a dehumidifier can all help. http://goo.gl/q0FpvW

Nobody wants to imagine their home quietly rotting from the inside out, but houses aren’t the only building susceptible to mould. Public buildings, like libraries and schools, and corporate buildings can also be affected. Any building with enough humidity and a food source like drywall or carpet can develop mould, so it’s important to know how to recognize the early signs of infestation. http://goo.gl/oClf5q

The industrial revolution saw an explosion of asbestos use. No longer a novel material used in a few items, the industrial revolution fueled new inventions, and creators loved asbestos. Asbestos mining became mechanized, and by the early 1900s, more than 30 000 tons was produced annually. Everyone including women and children were involved in asbestos mining and product creation. During the height of its use some 4000 everyday household items like hair driers and toothpaste contained asbestos. http://goo.gl/cmqDLC

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