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Asbestos in your home
housing@knh.org.uk
What is asbestos?
Asbestos fibres are strong and resistant to heat and chemicals. This has led to their use in a wide range of
building materials and products, often as fireproofing. Asbestos cement has been widely used as a cladding
material and can still be found in garages and sheds. However, properties built since the 1980s are unlikey to
contain asbestos.
There is a very low level of fibres in the air everywhere because asbestos has been used widely. Exposure to
this low level of fibres is unlikely to harm people's health.
Levels of fibres may be higher in buildings containing asbestos materials, especially where the materials are
damaged. It is very unlikely that the levels of asbestos fibres found in buildings will be harmful, but if you
have damaged asbestos materials in your home you should seek advice on appropriate action to take.
Why asbestos may be a problem?
Old or damaged materials can release fibres into the air. These can be breathed deep into the lung where they
may stay for a long time, causing possible damage. When very high levels of these fibres are breathed in there
is a risk of lung diseases, including cancer.
People who have worked with asbestos for many years as part of their job or have washed the dusty clothing of
those who worked with asbestos are most likely to be affected. Workplace regulations now protect such people.
Where is asbestos found?
Building materials containing asbestos were widely used from the 1930s and in particular from the 1960s
onwards. Asbestos has also been used in heat resistant household products, such as oven gloves and ironing boards.
Typical locations where asbestos may be found around the home are:
- Insulating board (asbestos content 20-45%) often found in materials such as ducts, infill panels,
ceiling tiles, wall linings, bath panels and partitions.
- Lagging (asbestos content 55-100%) used for thermal insulation of pipes and boilers mainly in public
buildings and system- built flats.
- Sprayed coating (asbestos content up to 85%) used for fire protection of structural steel and commonly
found in system built flats, applied around the core of the building such as service ducts, lift shafts
etc. Most sprayed asbestos has now either been removed or sealed.
- Asbestos cement products (asbestos content mainly 10-15%, up to 40%) the most commonly used material
found in many types of building. Profiled sheets for roofing and wall cladding in flat sheets and partition
boards for linings to wall and ceilings, bath panels, soffit boards, fire surrounds, flue pipes, cold water
tanks and as roofing tiles and slates. Also used in guttering, drainpipes, roofing and cladding of garages
etc. Asbestos cement products are unlikely to release high levels of fibres unless they are subject to
extreme abrasion or weathering.
- Other materials may contain asbestos such as textured paints and plasters, plastic floor tiles, cushion
flooring, roofing felts, tapes, ropes and blankets.
How to identify materials containing asbestos
Seek advice from either KNH or Asbestos Team, Design & Property Service, Kirklees Council on 01484 226060.
What to do if you suspect asbestos in your home
- Avoid disturbing or damaging asbestos materials that are in good condition.
- Seek advice if you have damaged or deteriorating asbestos material in your home.
- Do not keep using oven gloves or other small items containing asbestos.
- Seek advice if you suspect your heating system may contain asbestos - DO NOT attempt to dismantle these
appliances yourself.
Beware when doing DIY
If you have asbestos materials in your home, extra care should be taken when doing DIY. DO NOT attempt work
involving sprayed asbestos, lagging or insulating boards, as this must be undertaken by a licensed asbestos
removal contractor. If in doubt seek advice.
If you do any DIY with asbestos materials take the following precautions:
- Keep other people away from the area.
- Avoid creating dust from asbestos cement.
- Never sand down or wire-brush asbestos cement.
- Do not use power tools on asbestos cement.
- Avoid breaking asbestos cement.
- Wear protective clothing such as, disposable overalls and a facemask (CE marked to EN149 with FFP2
particulate filters is recommended). Check that they are suitable for use with asbestos. You can get advice
from safety equipment centres. After use, these should be disposed of as asbestos waste.
- When removing asbestos cement, thoroughly wet it first, particularly around any fixings. Use an
ordinary hosepipe or watering can for this, not a high-powered water jet. Add detergent to the water if
possible.
- If fixings are difficult to undo, try to cut them off rather than break the asbestos.
- Do not use a domestic vacuum cleaner to clear up the dust. Hire an industrial vacuum cleaner that
conforms to BS5415 (type H).
- When work is finished, clean up and carefully remove overalls to avoid raising any dust which may have
collected in the fabric.
- Asbestos cement waste must be wrapped in a double layer of strong polythene and loose edges sealed with
tape before being disposed of. Clearly mark "ASBESTOS".
See also
Other websites
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