Discovering asbestos in your property can feel overwhelming, but knowing the right steps to take is essential for protecting your health and ensuring legal compliance. Asbestos is still present in many homes, schools, offices, and industrial buildings across the UK, particularly those constructed before its ban in 1999.
If you suspect you’ve found asbestos, keep reading because in this blog, we share six key steps to take that will help you handle the situation safely and responsibly. First, let’s take a look at where you most commonly find asbestos.
Where do you find asbestos most commonly?
Understanding where asbestos might be hiding in your property helps you stay alert and avoid accidental disturbance. In homes and commercial buildings built before 2000, asbestos could be found in many different places, both inside and outside. Some of the common places you might find it include:
- Garages
- Soil pipes
- Floor tiles
- Thermal insulation
- Cement sheets
- Fascias, soffits, guttering, and downpipes
- Textured coatings
- Insulation boards
Because asbestos was so widespread and versatile, it can turn up in places that may be unexpected and obscure. Even a small renovation or repair job can risk disturbing fibres if proper precautions aren’t taken.
How can asbestos be identified?
It’s a common misconception that you can recognise asbestos just by looking at it. In reality, visual identification is almost impossible, as many asbestos products resemble safe, modern materials. The only reliable way to confirm asbestos is through professional surveying and laboratory testing.
Trained asbestos surveyors, like our professionals here at Midlands Asbestos Solutions (MAS), collect small, controlled samples of suspected materials using specialist safety equipment and procedures. These samples are then analysed in an accredited laboratory to confirm whether asbestos fibres are present and, if so, what types.
Attempting to test materials yourself could be unsafe if not done in a controlled manner. Without the correct protective equipment and techniques, you risk disturbing the material and releasing fibres into the air, increasing the danger of exposure. That’s why you should always contact a professional company, like MAS, before taking any action.
What to do if you find asbestos: 6 steps to take
If you think you’ve found asbestos in your property, here’s our step-by-step guide on what to do so you can keep yourself and everyone around you safe.
Step 1: Stop any work immediately
Whether you’re conducting DIY work, renovations, or maintenance, stop what you’re doing right away if you think you’ve found asbestos. Disturbing asbestos can release asbestos fibres into the air, so avoid cutting, sanding, or drilling the material, or similar activities.
Step 2: Avoid disturbing the area
Do not attempt to disturb the material yourself. Asbestos fibres are microscopic and invisible to the naked eye, so any movement of the material can increase exposure risk.
Step 3: Restrict access if disturbed
Close off the room(s)/area and keep people and pets away. If possible, shut doors and windows to minimise airflow and fibre movement.
Step 4: Contact an asbestos professional to arrange a survey and sampling
Contacting a qualified asbestos surveyor and arranging a survey and sampling is one of the most important and safest steps to take. With an asbestos survey, it will identify the location, type and condition of any asbestos-containing materials (ACMs).
At MAS, our surveyors follow strict Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidelines and only use UKAS-accredited laboratories for testing.
Step 5: Take action based on professional advice
Based on the results of your survey and sampling, you’ll receive professional advice on whether the asbestos can be safely managed in place, encapsulated to prevent fibre release, or if it requires full removal by licensed asbestos contractors.
If removal or encapsulation is recommended, only trained and qualified contractors should carry out the work. At MAS, we have a full HSE license and offer fully compliant commercial and domestic asbestos removal services, ensuring all materials are handled, transported, and disposed of safely at licensed facilities.
Step 6: Keep records for compliance
After any survey, encapsulation, or removal work, you should ensure you retain all documentation given to you. This includes survey reports, test reports, and waste consignment notes – this is especially important for landlords and business owners who have legal duties under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.
Get in touch if you think you’ve found asbestos
Knowing what to do if you find asbestos makes all the difference in keeping yourself and everyone around you safe, and hopefully our step-by-step guide has helped provide clarity on what you should do.
If you suspect asbestos in your property, don’t hesitate to contact our fully qualified and trained asbestos experts today. We can offer professional advice, arrange asbestos surveying and testing, and provide a range of asbestos services to help deal and manage with asbestos effectively.
FAQs around finding asbestos
How quickly should I act if I suspect asbestos?
You should take action immediately, but remain calm. Avoid disturbing the material, and contact a qualified asbestos surveyor for advice and testing. Acting quickly helps keep everyone safe and prevents unnecessary exposure.
Can I remove asbestos myself?
No, asbestos removal can be dangerous and strongly discouraged. Certain types of asbestos materials must be legally removed by a licensed contractor, and even non-licensed materials should only be handled by trained professionals.
Do all asbestos-containing materials need removing?
Not necessarily. If the asbestos material is in good condition and unlikely to be disturbed, it can often be safely managed and monitored through regular inspections. Removal is usually only required if the material is damaged or at risk of future disturbance for refurbishment projects.
Is finding asbestos within my legal obligations?
If you’re responsible for non-domestic buildings or you’re a landlord and you find asbestos, you’re legally obligated to manage the asbestos safely under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.
