Asbestos in your home
Content owner : housing@knh.org.uk Last updated : 05/03/11
Asbestos - Beware when doing DIY
You need to get permission from KNH, call 01484 414886 or visit your neighbourhood housing office before you carry out any alterations to your home.
Asbestos is a natural material made up of tiny fibres. These fibres are usually safely fixed in another material like cement or insulation board, but they can be released into the air by cutting, breaking, drilling or sanding.
Asbestos can be found in many places - workplaces, public buildings, schools and also in the home.
Why asbestos may be a problem?
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.
Here are some examples that may contain asbestos:
- airing cupboard walls
- pipe lagging
- cement fireplace surrounds
- ceiling and wall panels
- roof tiles
- cement pipes
- garage roofs and walls
- fuse boxes
- floor tiles
- rubbish chutes
- paints
How to identify materials containing asbestos
Seek advice from either KNH or Asbestos Team, Physical Resources and Procurement (PRP), Kirklees Council on 01484 226060.
What to do if you suspect asbestos in your home
- 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 we don't have any asbestos information about your home or the area where you want to do the work, we will need to do an asbestos survey first, which you will be charged for.
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.
