Asbestos was a popular building material in homes and commercial buildings for many years. It was popular for a reason: it does not catch fire easily, is not easily damaged by chemicals and stands up to a lot of wear. It also blocks noise and insulates buildings, and strengthens a range of other materials.
However, asbestos is recognised as a major health problem in the UK and it is estimated that 5,000 people die each year, (including at least 20 tradespeople every week), due to related diseases.
Using asbestos in construction was banned in the United Kingdom in 1999, which means that any home built prior to this is likely to have some asbestos in it. If there is asbestos in your home, this does not automatically mean it is a problem. In fact, materials containing asbestos are very good at what they do.
When left undisturbed, asbestos is not dangerous. Its fibres can only affect your health if they become damaged, either accidentally or while they are being worked on during building work or DIY. If this happens, the asbestos could release fibres and these could harm your health if you breathed in a large amount.
Asbestos can be found in most homes where construction or works were carried out between 1920 and 1999, but especially those where works were carried out between 1930 and 1985.
There may be asbestos in the following areas of a home, including: boilers, flues, fascia boards, pipe joints, garage roofs, fire breaks, pipework, gas appliances, fire doors, textured coatings (like Artex), pipe boxing, insulation, water heaters, soffits, partition walls, bath panels, water tanks, storage heaters, fascias, ceiling and floor tiles, door linings, bakelite fittings, gutters, downpipes, soffits, cement roof tiles, roofing felt and a number of other materials.
Asbestos is not a danger to your health if it is in good condition and is not disturbed. You can disturb asbestos by sanding, drilling or sawing into it. If you breathe in asbestos dust, tiny fibres can reach your lungs.
Asbestos can cause a number of serious or fatal diseases, including: mesothemelioma, lung cancer, Asbestosis and Pleural thickening, and it can take years for symptoms to arise.
How can I reduce the risks?
Do not repair or remove any material that you think may contain asbestos.
Do not cut, break, saw, drill, sand or disturb anything you think may contain asbestos.
If you do not know what a material is made from, assume that it contains asbestos.
If you don’t know whether something contains asbestos and/or you do not know how to deal with it safely, call a licensed, professional specialist. Some work may need to be notified to the Health and Safety Executive. Some Chartered Surveyors are certified to carry out such work.
To search for an independent Chartered Surveyor who will be able to assist you directly or be able to connect you to a local independent specialist to advise in this regard, call us at PropertySurveying.co.uk.
Find out more about asbestos on the HSE website.