Practical knowledge on building pollutants — written by Dr. Maximilian Mandl, Geochemist (ETH Zurich).
Lead pipes can be recognised by their grey colour, soft material, and dull knock. Where to find them, how to test them, and what you should do.
Radon is measured with dosimeters over at least 3 months during the heating period. Where to place them, how many you need, and what the results mean.
Yes — for buildings built before 1993, asbestos testing before renovation and demolition work is a legal requirement in Austria. What the BauV requires.
Black adhesive under old parquet is often PAH-containing coal tar adhesive from the 1950s–1980s. Why you should stop ripping it out immediately.
A pollutant assessment for a single-family home typically costs €400–€800. Breakdown of individual items and what you get for it.
Eternit is not synonymous with asbestos. When Eternit started being produced asbestos-free, how to tell old from new, and why only the laboratory provides certainty.
Asbestos cannot be identified with the naked eye. Where to be suspicious, which materials are affected, and what a laboratory analysis costs.
Radon in Austria: average 110 Bq/m³ — nearly three times the global mean. How to measure, what the values mean, and when you need to act.
Asbestos is present in 70% of buildings from the 1960s–1980s. Where to find it, when it becomes dangerous, and what a sample costs.
PAH-containing adhesive under old parquet — one of the most common pollutants in old-building renovations. What you need to know before ripping out the floor.
MMF produced before 1996 contains biopersistent fibres. How to tell old from new insulation and when you need to act.
Lead in paint, pipes, and dust — how to find lead in old buildings, why it is dangerous, and what to do with the results.
PCB in building joints: where it hides, why it is dangerous, and how to get it tested. Typical in buildings from the 1960s–1980s.
VOC in indoor spaces after renovation or new construction: where the smell comes from, when it is concerning, and what you can do.
PCP and lindane in roof trusses and timber beams: why old wood preservatives still off-gas after 40 years.
Pollutant check before buying a home from €290: what is tested, what it costs, and why the building surveyor does not cover this.
Independent renovation monitoring with real-time air monitoring: why self-inspection by the contractor is not enough.
Portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF): how the device works, what it measures, and why it speeds up pollutant checks.
Reading the AGES radon map correctly: what the colours mean, why green does not mean safe, and when you should measure anyway.
Building pollutants by construction year: which pollutants are typical for which construction era — from Gründerzeit to new builds.
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