Ultimate Handyman DIY Home asbestos

Home | A-Z Contents | Arcade| DIY Forum | Directory | Disclaimer | DIY Videos |Safety First | Search

 

 

 

 

 

Asbestos is a generic name given to six fibrous minerals that have been used in commercial products. The six types of asbestos are chrysotile, crocidolite, amosite, anthophyllite asbestos, tremolite asbestos, and actinolite asbestos. Several properties that make asbestos so versatile and cost effective are high tensile strength, chemical and thermal stability, high flexibility, low electrical conductivity, and large surface area. The leading domestic markets are roofing products, gaskets, and friction products. Nearly all of the asbestos produced worldwide is chrysotile.

 

 

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that is mined, unfortunately people were not aware of the health risks that were present as the diseases that were contracted from asbestos were not immediate and often took 20-30 years before they were diagnosed.

Asbestos has been banned from most building products since the 1990's. Asbestos has been used for about 100 years and can often be encountered in older houses. Some examples of what may contain asbestos are below-

 

bullet Asbestos roofing material.
bullet Asbestos wall panels.
bullet Asbestos ceiling panels.
bullet Asbestos fire blankets.
bullet Some acoustic ceiling tiles.
bullet Some sound proofing wall panels.
bullet Some soffit panels (located under the eaves).
bullet Some felt roof lining materials.
bullet Some insulation materials used to lag hot pipes and hot water cylinders.
bullet Some insulation materials used in ceilings.
bullet Some hessian covered cork notice boards.
bullet Some vinyl floor tiles.
bullet Some artex type wall and ceiling coverings.
bullet Some bricks used in night storage heaters.
bullet Some bricks and products used in fireplaces.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Asbestos roofing sheets Corrugated roofing sheets made from Asbestos

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Asbestos fibres Asbestos fibres

 

 

 

 

 

 

Textured coatings

Some textured coatings can contain asbestos.

Under no circumstances should you sand textured coatings.

If you are not sure if the coating contains asbestos then you must assume that it does and treat it with precaution.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Identifying asbestos is not always easy and it is best to assume that it is asbestos, if you are in doubt!Special kits can be purchased which can tell you if it is asbestos. Removal is best left to professional firms although there is no law to stop you doing it yourself. With such a product it is better to leave it to the professionals!

Asbestos-related disease is generally associated with long term exposure to asbestos in an occupational setting. Asbestos exposure has been linked to a range of diseases including:

 

 

 

 

 

bullet Pleural plaque - thickened patches of scar tissue on the pleura (lining) of the lung.
bullet Asbestosis - progressive scar tissue inside the lungs that impairs breathing.
bullet Lung cancer - can develop decades after the asbestos exposure. Smokers and those people with asbestosis are most susceptible.
bullet Mesothelioma - a type of cancer which affects the pleura, the covering of the lung and lining of the chest wall and diaphragm. It can develop decades after the asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma is one of the deadliest diseases known to man; the average life span of an inflicted person from the time of diagnosis until death is less than 6 months.

 

Asbestos removal Here you can see asbestos roofing sheets being removed by a firm of professionals. It is possible to remove asbestos your self but often it is much safer to get a professional firm in!

Here is a good video on how asbestos can be found in some homes-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ultimatehandyman privacy policy