Asbestos In The Home

Where is asbestos found?

It is not always easy to tell whether a product contains asbestos as modern asbestos-free materials often look similar - remember it is usually older products that contain asbestos. Public places where asbestos can be found include:

* Asbestos cement - cement roofing, wall cladding, downpipes and gutters, cement flues.
* Floor tiles, textiles and composites - textiles in the fuse box, the old fire blankets, heat resistant gloves. Composites can be toilet cistern / chairs and bath panels, window sills, shower panels.
* Textured and sprayed coatings
* Roofing felt
* Asbestos insulating board (AIB) - commonly used as fireproofing and partition walls, fireproofing panels in fire doors, lift shaft lining, ceiling tiles, soffits, paneling under the windows.
* Lagging and insulation - in or on heating systems such as boilers, round tanks or calorifiers and around pipes.
* Asbestos Loose fill - in between cavity walls, under the floorboards and in the attic space.


What are the risks?

When asbestos materials age or become damaged they can release fibers into the air. It can be inhaled into the lungs where they can stay for a long time, causing possible damage. Some people who are exposed to low amounts of asbestos present in the atmosphere without any ill effects.

However, when very high levels of asbestos fibers are inhaled there is risk of serious lung diseases including pleural thickening, asbestosis and mesothelioma. The symptoms of this disease can often take between 20-40 years after exposure to materialize.
What should I do if I suspect there is asbestos in my home?

The general rule is to leave asbestos undisturbed. DIY job can lead to a short but high levels of exposure to harmful asbestos fibers. Asbestos is usually safe unless damaged or disturbed - for example by removing, drilling, sawing, scrubbing or sanding. If you believe you have asbestos in your home, extra care should be taken when doing any DIY. We would advise people to try to carry out work involving sprayed asbestos, lagging or insulating boards like this should always be done by a licensed asbestos removal contractor.

REMEMBER:

* Avoid creating asbestos dust
* Avoid inhaling asbestos dust
* Asbestos materials in good condition should be left alone
* Be careful when doing DIY
* Dispose of asbestos correctly

If you prefer to have asbestos materials in your home removed by specialist removers set (and this should always happen when dealing with pipe lagging, sprayed asbestos insulation fibrous or loose) then there are companies that will do the job. They are commonly referred to as "Contractor Permits' and current information can be obtained from the Health and Safety Executive Licence Holders Page Asbestos.