Colorado Springs family battles home asbestos contamination

Colorado Springs homeowner Brett Byrum tells us the lower half of his house is no longer accessible to him after he found asbestos in the wall.

He bought his home seven years ago, and a few weeks ago, he found a leak and tried to fix it himself.

Days later, he had a portion of his drywall tested for asbestos. It tested positive, and he was forced to leave his home immediately with only the clothes off his back.

“Washer, dryer, everything’s gotta go,” Byrum said.

The cleanup has already cost him thousands of dollars, including the cost of living in a hotel, and receipts continue to pile up.

“Most of these are food receipts. I mean living here for three weeks, it’s been kind of hectic,” he said.

It’s all coming out of his pocket. It turns out his insurance company does not cover asbestos.

It’s Frank Tims’ job to test for it, and he says every home built before the ’70s has it.

But it can still be found in buildings of any age.

“You’re supposed to have your home tested even after the ’78 because the ban was reverted in ’91,” Tims said. “We don’t find it too often after that It’s very, very rare but it’s pretty common in Colorado.”

Even with the high number of homes he finds asbestos in, Tims says most homeowners are unaware.

“We find about half the homeowners when they call us, they didn’t have any clue about asbestos being in there,” Tims said. “So they find out from a contractor or a friend or a family member who had it before.”

Experts say it’s important to check with your insurance for asbestos policies, as many do not include coverage.