"No video is worth dying for" - expert warns against #homereno trend

Joseph P. Williams, attorney at nationally renowned mesothelioma and asbestos law firm The Williams Law Firm, P.C said the viral DIY renovation trend poses serious health risks, with many homeowners unaware they might be disturbing cancer-causing materials.

The TikTok hashtags #homerenovation, #homereno, and #houserenovation have a combined total of 886.7K videos on the platform, featuring people smashing through walls and ripping up floorboards, often with no protective equipment. While this isn’t necessarily an issue in newer homes (although a hard hat and gloves are always recommended), Joseph points out that most of these renovations are on older, pre-1980s houses.

Data from the US Census Bureau suggests that more than half of US homes were built with asbestos in or around the walls, floorboards, ceiling tiles, roof tiles, insulation, pipes and electrical wires. If no work has been done previously, the asbestos remains and poses significant risk.

"One of the scariest things about asbestos is you can't see the fibres," Joseph explained. "You also can't smell them, you can't taste them, and once the fibres have been disturbed, they stay airborne for hours."

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) states there's absolutely no safe exposure level for asbestos. Their official guidance confirms even brief contact has triggered fatal mesothelioma in people, with symptoms typically taking anywhere from 20 to 50 years to appear, which is particularly concerning as it is often younger people taking part in the trend.

"The long delay between breathing in fibres and getting sick is why asbestos is known as ‘the silent killer’," Joseph explained. "Someone fixing up their house today might not have any symptoms until retirement age."

Not only do the videos pose a risk for those involved, but the failure to mention testing or safety measures puts others at risk too. “If people watch these videos and decide this is something they want to do, without hearing a warning first, they might not even think about asbestos. This leads to even more unsafe renovations and situations that could have been avoided,” Joseph said.

For people worried their project might involve asbestos, Joseph laid out clear advice. Hire certified inspectors to test any suspect materials before work begins. If they find asbestos, only use licensed removal specialists.

"Never try removing it yourself," he warned. "Professional contractors have specialised gear and training to get rid of it."

For those who still want to take on renovation projects, they should focus on homes built after 1990 when builders had mostly stopped using asbestos or budget for professional inspection and removal when working on older houses.

Asbestos stands as the only confirmed cause of mesothelioma, a cancer that attacks the lining around the lungs and other organs. OSHA figures show roughly 40,000 Americans die every year from asbestos-related diseases.

While the government banned several asbestos products between 1973 and 1990, many uses remained legal. The EPA finalised a ban on chrysotile asbestos in March 2024, but this doesn't solve the problem of old asbestos sitting in millions of American homes built before the 1980s.

"My message couldn't be simpler. Test before you renovate," Joseph said. "No social media video is worth dying for."

This expert advice was given by williamstriallawyers.com