Where is asbestos in my home?

Common places where asbestos can be found in your home.

You don't even think how many type of fabrics, elements, objects are made with asbestos. Your home, especially when you have just bought an old one that was possibly built before the 90's have a potential hazard of asbestos. 

I this article you this article you'll be able to look your home a bit differently. Well my intentions are far from to scare you away, but you will be mindful with this toxic silicate mineral.

The web is full of definition what asbestos is, so I'm not going to dive to deep into this. The most important you need to know is asbestos is a common name of the group of six minerals that have special qualities like: fire resistance, weather resistance, does not conduct electricity, perfect insulator of electricity and heat or cold. Very strong and one type of it the white asbestos is more flexible than the others. Asbestos was used in thousands of products alone, incorporated with paper, textiles, plastic, paint, car breakpads, cluthes, and building materials.

I'm here to talk about the builing materials that contains asbestos. they called the asbestos containing materials - ACM's.

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Artex

Artex is still in use but with no asbestos. The Artex coatings in older buildings are probably contain asbestos. That is a high risk because it was a no-brainer.  

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Asbetos Roofing

Asbestos roofs called in th  other name: asbestos corrugated roofs. they are relatively large cement sheets made with around 20% of asbestos. They are considered less hazardous and they are in the non friable asbestos category which means when they break or damage it won't release a significant amount of asbestos dust.

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Asbestos Siding

Asbestos Cement Siding was used commonly to cover up th ewal of the houses especially on the lower level. They made with cement and mixed with asbestos which bond a very strongly and creates a sturdy and hard material sheets. Asbestos cement siding was used mainly in the USA.

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Asbestos Flooring

Asbestos flooring alone has so many types. You can find PVC asbestos floor tiles, ceramic tiles with asbestos, and usually the cement mix wit hasbestos that stick the tiles to the floor.

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Asbestos Insulating Board - AIB 

Asbestos insulating board is the part of th high risk ACM's because it is a friable asbestos material and it can be broken quite easily. Friable asbestos material means, when the element will be damaged a lot of asbestos fibres get air borne. Potential risk inhaled or indegisted. AIB was usually used in walls, even ceilings. you put your family at risk even if you drill the wall and you have no information about asbestos insulating board is there. make sure you know your home well. Ask for Asbestos survey.

Boiler Insulation

Boiler insulation was a common was to protect people from the heat and keep the hot water in the tank efficiently. The problem with this insulations are they made from white asbestos that is able to be exposed to the air easily. It is not bond in other material. It is a high level of hazard to your famaily and you.

Pipe insulation

Asbestos  pipe insulation is more often used in bigger homes and buildings. Still is a high risk because of its level of damageability. Very friable. and they look like this on the picture. 

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Asbestos gutter

Old heavy type cement gutters and even the plastic ones contain asbestos. They usually have a long life even if they constantly hit by bad weather, but they become dangerous when they damaged or disturbed.

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Other loation of the house you can find asbestos

Flash Pads in Fuse Boards

• ​Flue pipe in loft Void
• Bath panel
• Fire proof steal beans
• Bakelit components
• Ceiling Tiles
• Fire place Insulation
• Asbestos Cement Water Tank
• Toilet Cistern
• Asbestos Cement Flue pipe
• Bitumen Sink Pad
• Soffits
• Bitumen Roofing
• Storage Heaters
• Loose fill Insulation
• Sprayed Asbestos
• Garage Lining 
• Chimney Lining

How do I know these items containing asbestos?

Very good and frequently asked question. The short answer is: don't guess. ask for specialists and they carry out an asbestos sampling during the survey. In few days you get tje results and you will know where asbestos is located in your home. 

Do I need to remove asbestos?

No asbestos equals no health hazard. Asbestos containing materials - ACM's in good condition won't harm you unless you disturb it.  Definitely consider yourself to call an asbestos specialist to remove asbestos in a professional manner safely when it come to work on your home and it would involve distubance of Asbestos materials.