Asbestos is a concern for home owners and property owners alike. Buildings such as older residential homes, factories, storage buildings, and commercial spaces can possibly contain it. However, knowing what to do if you suspect you have asbestos is key to your safety. First, and foremost, we recommend that you always consult a professional asbestos removal expert such as ourselves. Make sure to read reviews and ask for accreditations like ARCA, or similar before commissioning any work on your property. With that said, there are two major warning signs to look out for to help you better understand whether asbestos may be in your building – age and condition.
Aged Buildings
Asbestos is most common in buildings built throughout the 20th century. Asbestos is a silicate mineral that was cost-effective to mine, and had incredible hardiness. It was a natural resistance to fire, heat and electricity and had good sound absorption.
However, its popularity began to shift in the 1980’s. Damaged and broken asbestos was linked to serious ailments and diseases such as lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma. Fortunately, asbestos has been phased out of use in modern builds constructed after 2000 and these are unlikely to have asbestos products. If you have an older building, especially one in poor condition, it may be worth testing the premises for asbestos fibres. These invisible fibres are incredibly small and when inhaled can cause serious damage to the respiratory system. The HSE (Health and Safety Executive) still regularly reports thousands of cases. That’s why it’s important to contact us to carry out an asbestos survey if you’re unsure.
The Condition of Your Building Materials
When it comes to asbestos dangers; the main culprit is usually friable asbestos. Friable means it crumbles easily and when searching the home. Asbestos containing materials (ACM) are tested to see if they break, chip, or crumble under pressure. Non-friable asbestos can also be dangerous however friable materials break much easier, releasing asbestos fibres into the air. For more information on common materials that may contain asbestos consult the HSE’s asbestos guide. This breaks down every possible place you may find asbestos.
These brittle materials can be found in anything from roof tiles, to floor tiles, and after years of service can begin to take strain. That’s why surveying your property, especially one in need of repair, is integral to the safety of you and everyone around you.
What to Do if You Find Asbestos in Your Home
Be sure to contact the professionals. At Midlands Asbestos Solutions, we offer a complete surveying service, testing and removal system. First, we’ll send out an experienced surveyor to assess the condition of your building materials and the amount of asbestos in your build. We do this carefully so as not to disrupt materials and cause further damage or fibre release. Once samples have been taken, we’ll send them off to our UKAS-accredited lab to accurately test the condition of your materials.
Once we’ve analysed your samples, we’ll suggest the best course of action. This could be as simple as ensuring an area is undisturbed, or as in-depth as completely removing your asbestos materials and replacing them with modern alternatives. Whatever the needs, we offer a complete service that leaves you with a high performance building that is safe to use. We also safely remove and dispose of all harmful materials to ensure that the asbestos is managed correctly.
As you can see, asbestos is a serious problem. We don’t recommend trying to deal with any concerns yourselves. Instead, go with the experts. We have amassed years of experience and carry out every asbestos removal on time and budget. If you think you may have asbestos or just want some peace of mind, contact us now for a free, no-obligation quotation. We’re here to help.