What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a material that was commonly used in properties built before 2000. It was popular as its qualities made it a great protective layer for building materials and household products.
Why is it now banned?
Asbestos materials contain fibres, which, if inhaled, can caused disease. It’s extremely unlikely the levels of asbestos fibres found in your home will be harmful. It’s not a risk to health unless it becomes damaged or disturbed
Where is it found?
Building materials containing asbestos started being used in the early 1900s. They were widely used between the 1960s and 1980s.
Houses and flats built or refurbished in the 1900s may contain asbestos. All asbestos building products were banned in 1999.
Asbestos may be found in:
- Insulating board (such as pipe ducts, partition walls, fire doors)
- Fire break walls in lofts
- Soffit boards (on the exterior of buildings)
- Asbestos cement products, particularly found as corrugated roofing on garages and sheds
- Older water tanks
- Older fire safety items (particularly older fire blankets)
- Textured paints and plasters (artex) on walls and ceilings
- Roofing materials (roofing felts and tiles)
- Heating appliances (storage heaters)
- Boiler flues
- Some older plastic and vinyl floor tiles
- Older ceiling tiles
- Rainwater down pipes
- Pads on the underside of kitchen sinks.
Contact us
Before undertaking any work to your home you should check with us before you start.
This will help to ensure you are not at risk of accidentally disturbing any asbestos materials.
You should also contact us if you have any concerns or questions about potential asbestos in your home.