People who smoke and are exposed to asbestos have a much greater chance of getting lung cancer than just from smoking or asbestos alone. To find out if you have an asbestos problem, you must find out if the material in question is likely to release asbestos. The only way to be sure is to have the material inspected by an expert or tested in a laboratory. Although you may have asbestos materials in your home, if they are in good condition or not damaged, they are unlikely to cause any harm. But asbestos fibers can become loose and get into the air, especially when they are contained in soft, easily crumbled materials or are disturbed during construction or remodeling.
Asbestos is only a problem if the fibers are released into the air.
Asbestos materials that are in good condition and are not being disturbed will not release asbestos fibers. If this is the case, the safest and easiest option may be to leave asbestos alone, paint it, or wrap it with special tape. Removing asbestos is a dangerous process that should be performed only be a qualified, reliable asbestos contractor. The contractor must do the removal in a way that prevents the fibers from being released into the air.