Asbestos in the home can be a latent risk, since many of the products and materials of isolation that were used in the construction of homes before the mid-1980s contained asbestos. This is a material that was considered miraculous for decades for its fire resistance characteristics and versatility; it could be formed into sheets, used as an ingredient in other materials, woven textiles, and even be sprayed on surfaces.
Therefore, for decades, asbestos was used to protect homes, schools and other buildings against fire, noise and weather conditions. It was also used in tile floors, materials roofs, vehicle parts and other products associated with various uses in a home.
Asbestos in the home is a dangerous fibre only if it disintegrates, is broken or damaged, as it releases fibres into the air that can be inhaled by humans and animals. These can be deposited in the lungs and cause severe diseases, such as asbestosis and mesothelioma.
This means that in older homes across the country and in places such as Sussex, Surrey, Kent, Hampshire and London, asbestos can still be found in products and materials such as:
• Ceilings , garage roofing and siding Insulation (floor, wall, pipe) houses built between 1930 and 1950
• Tiles and vinyl flooring
• Boilers and oil and coal burners
• Hot water piping in older homes
• Textured paint and patching compounds for joints of walls and ceilings
• Asbestos cement and brick
• Artificial ashes and embers for gas log fireplaces
• Walls and floors around wood burners
• Products and household appliances
Other places or materials where asbestos is at home or at work:
Asbestos in the home cannot be detected with the naked eye, making it necessary to use specialists to inspect your home to determine whether there is asbestos, the difficulty in removing it and whether it poses any risk of exposure. Since there is asbestos in a home or exterior buildings such as a garage roof, it does not necessarily mean that it needs to be eliminated, being only risky when it is broken, drilling, disrupted, rubbed or is seriously deteriorated. This possibility increases in during renovation or even at the time of removal of asbestos.
Therefore it is always advisable, if the removal of asbestos in your home is required, to employ the services of a qualified professional to perform this work, thus avoiding contaminating your home even more, reducing the risk of exposure to your family and / or workers involved in the removal of this material. Regardless, if you think your home may present a risk for asbestos exposure, consider the following recommendations:
• Do not handle things that may have asbestos
• Do not touch, remove, shake or bang on things that may have asbestos
• Do not scatter around the house dust that may contain asbestos
If you choose to remove it, get a specialised service in asbestos removal to provide you with advice and to, ensure that the right protective equipment is present (respirator and protective clothing) – and to also observe work practices and safety procedures.
The area of asbestos removal must be safeguarded, so that dust or asbestos fibres do not contaminate the home further.
Any asbestos-containing material must be removed while wet, to reduce the possibility that asbestos fibres are released into the air.
Make sure to dispose of asbestos in sealed and secured packaging with tape easily distinguished from other bags.
If necessary, seek further information from technical agencies such as HSE or IOSH, whose advisors and websites can provide any extra guidance needed.
So you think you have asbestos? For more help or advice on asbestos in your life, contact us for a chat or a survey, either call: 01903 297818 or email: info@crucial-enviro.co.uk or fill in our asbestos enquiry form.