Asbestos is not just a problem in public buildings but also in private homes. While public building owners are legally required to monitor and maintain asbestos, there is no legal obligation for an asbestos survey in residential buildings. Even if asbestos is not mentioned when selling a property, it could still be present and many surveyors aren’t trained to look for it. With over 3000 items made with asbestos, it’s not just the building’s structure to watch out for as there are multiple types all with different risks.
Asbestos Was Banned – But it Exists in Many Homes Still Today.
Since the 19th century, builders have used asbestos for its durability, fire resistance, and low cost. Over time, breathing sharp asbestos fibres can cause mesothelioma and lung cancer. Many nations prohibited asbestos in the late 1990s, although older properties may still contain it. Asbestos exposure is a concern while renovating older homes.
Is My House Asbestos Free?
Just because your home was built before 1800 or after 2000 doesn’t necessarily mean you’re safe from asbestos. While newer homes may not have asbestos in the building materials, any repairs or renovations done in the 20th century could still contain asbestos. Older buildings may have asbestos in ceiling coatings, artificial ceilings, walls, floors, and fireproofing materials. Always be cautious.
Renovating Risks?
Disrupting asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) during house renovations is a significant asbestos exposure concern. Insulation, flooring, roofing, and cladding can contain ACMs. An asbestos survey can ascertain the risks.
Materials containing asbestos can either be friable or not. Friability is how easy to crumble or pulverise the asbestos.
Dangerous asbestos is friable asbestos. Applying pressure with your hands may crumble, pulverise, or turn friable asbestos into a powder.
Low-risk asbestos is non-friable and used with cement or another strong adhesive.
If damaged or old, non-friable asbestos may become friable.
Demolition, removal, sanding, and cutting asbestos-containing materials increase the asbestos exposure risk. Drilling a hole in an asbestos-containing wall can also release fibres.
How Do I Keep Safe?
To protect your family from asbestos exposure during house renovations, take safeguards. Even after first exposure, asbestos on clothing can expose others. Indeed, many wives of asbestos workers become sick and die after washing their work clothing years after exposure. Do not treat asbestos lightly, as over 20 tradespeople die every week in the UK due to asbestos.
Before renovating an older property, get it tested for asbestos-containing materials (ACMs). This helps you recognise threats and avoid exposure.
Wear safety clothes and masks when renovating with asbestos.
A licenced and certified asbestos expert must safely remove asbestos-containing items. ACMs may discharge fibres into the air if you try to remove them yourself.
In rare circumstances, an expert can seal unremovable asbestos and make it inert to make it safer.
Where Is The Asbestos In My Home?
In its heyday, the UK imported six million tonnes of asbestos (mostly chrysotile or white), and most of it is still out there, unmonitored and unaccounted for. Asbestos-containing items may appear like non-asbestos ones.
The home’s most typical asbestos locations are:
Textured ceilings and walls.
Older insulation
Vinyl flooring and/or adhesive backing
Hot-water pipe covers
Heat-resistant textiles (older sofas and couches)
Stove walls and flooring.
Brickwork, fireplaces, coatings
Old coal or oil boilers
Roof tiles
Conclusion
Asbestos-containing materials may be invisible. Renovations might expose you and others to asbestos insulation hidden behind walls or ceilings. Vigilance isn’t enough because asbestos fibres are tiny. Wear an FFP3 (P3) mask to filter out the smallest airborne particles when renovating or DIYing.
Since so many products for so many uses contain asbestos, it’s safer to assume it does. When in doubt, get it checked out by a professional asbestos surveying company.
