Asbestos water tanks were very common from the 1930s up until 1999 when the substance was banned. Because of the risk to human health, many homeowners choose to have their asbestos water tank removed. The removal process can be challenging, however, so the overall cost can vary. On average, you can expect to pay £225 - £300 although there may be some additional costs involved. Read on for a comprehensive guide to water tank asbestos removal costs.
If you have an asbestos water tank in your home that needs to be removed, Asbestos SOS can help. Our experienced team will assess the location and condition of the water tank and conduct asbestos testing if needed. Then we will develop a plan for the safe removal of the water tank, giving you a clear and detailed quote of the expected cost.
Asbestos is a silica mineral. It is naturally occurring and is mined in quarries around the world. It consists of tiny fibres, the smallest of which are invisible to the naked eye.
There are six different types of asbestos, but only three are commonly used as a building material:
Asbestos had been used in construction in some form ever since Roman times but it became especially popular in the UK in the 19th century, where it was often used in shipbuilding. From the 1930s up until its ban in 1999, the material was used throughout the construction industry.
Asbestos is classed as a cancer-causing substance and has been banned in 55 countries around the world because of the health risks associated with it.
The danger lies in the asbestos fibres. These are easily inhaled and ingested once they become airborne through sawing, breaking, or drilling asbestos. And once they are in the body, they remain there.
Over time, usually decades, these fibres can trigger a range of serious and fatal diseases. These include:
There are 5,000 deaths per year from asbestos-related diseases in the UK. Many of these are construction workers who are exposed to asbestos more regularly but you are still at risk if you have asbestos in your home that becomes disturbed.
It was fully banned as a building material in the UK in 1999 but partial bans and regulations were in force from 1985.
Explore: How Long Does Asbestos Stay Airborne
Almost all water tanks from the 1930s up until 1999 were created using asbestos cement. It was the perfect material because of its unique characteristics.
It is waterproof, heat resistant, long-lasting, versatile, easy to shape, and relatively cheap.
If you have a water tank in your home that was built pre-1999, there is a good chance that it was made, or at least wrapped, with asbestos.
You don't need to worry too much. If you have been living in your home with an asbestos water tank, then it is very unlikely that your health has been affected.
Asbestos is only dangerous if the fibres become airborne. Asbestos cement water tanks have fully sealed asbestos fibres that have no risk of being inhaled or ingested.
The danger comes when the asbestos is disturbed in some way. This could be through deliberate actions, such as breaking up the water tank to remove it, drilling into the asbestos, or sawing it. Or it could be through accidental damage from storms, collapse, or other events.
If your asbestos water tank has become damaged, you must get it assessed as soon as possible. There is no safe level of asbestos exposure. Any amount of asbestos fibres that enter your body could cause serious illness later down the line.
You are under no obligation to have your asbestos water tank removed. If it is in good condition, then it won't be presently causing any danger.
There will always be a chance, however, that damage to the water tank could occur without you realising it. This could release harmful material including asbestos fibres into your home. These fibres are microscopic, so they can be inhaled without the person ever noticing.
There could also be issues with selling the property while the asbestos water tank is in place. The asbestos would need to be declared and could lower the value of your home.
Removing asbestos is a difficult task at the best of times. Asbestos becomes dangerous when it is moved or disturbed in some way. As soon as the asbestos is interfered with, then the fibres are released into the air.
Because of this, asbestos removal requires the use of specialists who can take the necessary safety precautions. This will include the use of specialised safety equipment, personal protective equipment, respirators, special liquid to keep the asbestos fibres sealed as much as possible, high-powered cleaning equipment to fully remove the microscopic fibres, and more.
Asbestos removal costs are generally relatively high because of the health risks, the need for specialised equipment, and the use of trained professionals.
Water tank removal can seem like a simple enough task at first glance. It is, after all, a standalone piece of equipment that can be removed relatively intact.
In practice, however, asbestos water tanks can be very difficult to remove. This is partly because they are often installed during the construction phase of the building.
This means that they are put in place while the building is being erected. So the room of void that they are placed in may well have been constructed around them.
This can often mean that they are larger than any access hatches leading to the void. Which creates a problem.
One way around this is controlled breakage. This is where the water tank is broken up into pieces while it is in place, and then the smaller pieces are taken through the access hatch. This makes the water tank removal a larger project because there is a higher risk of asbestos exposure due to the asbestos pieces being demolished. And because the removal process will take more time.
If your water tank does require controlled breakage, then this will impact the cost of the asbestos removal.
Other factors that would impact the cost of water tank removal include:
Asbestos is a hazardous material. It needs careful handling and disposal. Asbestos removal specialists will have the training and equipment to handle asbestos waste safely.
This will include proper bagging of the asbestos material and safely transporting it to an approved disposal location, as well as the issuing of an asbestos waste certificate.
The handling of the asbestos waste will vary depending on the amount of asbestos, the size of the water tank, and whether the tank has been dismantled.
Asbestos dust will contain fibres that are invisible to the naked eye. Because of this, it is difficult to see whether any fibres remain after the asbestos removal.
Specialised cleaning techniques and equipment, such as a powerful H-class vacuum cleaner, are used to ensure that all fibres are removed from the property.
If the tank has been demolished, then the clean-up work will be both more dangerous and more extensive.
The average cost of asbestos cement water tank removal will be between £225 and £300.
A new boiler can cost anywhere between £600 and £2,500. You will need to have a new system installed to replace the old water tank and using this as an opportunity to install an efficient combi-boiler system can often be a good idea.
Take a look: Asbestos Boiler And Flue Removal Cost
If you are unsure whether your water tank contains asbestos, you can have an asbestos survey carried out. This is where a sample of the suspected asbestos material is taken and tested.
An asbestos survey carried out by a professional company will cost anywhere from £50 up to £200+, depending on the amount of material being tested. For a water tank alone, the cost will be on the lower end of the scale.
You can opt for removal without having a survey conducted first. The majority of asbestos cement water tanks installed between 1930 and the mid-1980s would have been asbestos. And many after 1985 up until 1999 would have been as well.
If yours was installed pre-1985, you may choose to assume that it is asbestos and tackle it accordingly.
Alternatively, if you suspect that there may be more asbestos present in your home than just the water tank, you can opt for a larger survey that covers the entire property. This will cost more than sampling the water tank alone but can give you peace of mind or highlight areas that may also need asbestos removal.
We are experienced and highly trusted asbestos removal specialists. You are in safe hands with us when it comes to your asbestos water tank removal. We undertake every asbestos removal project with the goal to ensure the safe and efficient removal of the asbestos.
Our team will assess the location, size, condition, and accessibility of the asbestos cement water tank. After that, we will develop a detailed plan for its removal and provide you with a clear and comprehensive quote so you can be informed of the likely cost from the beginning.
We will also handle the safe disposal of the asbestos material as well as provide a deep specialised clean to ensure no asbestos fibres remain on the property.
If you need your asbestos water tank removed, don't hesitate to get in touch. Our team is ready and waiting to help.
Water tanks were commonly made using asbestos materials because of their waterproofing and heat-resistant properties up until their ban in 1999. If your water tank contains asbestos, it is safer to have it removed from your property. Asbestos water tanks can present a challenge to remove because of difficulty with access as well as other issues and this can increase the cost of removal. Asbestos is a dangerous material, however, so it is safer to remove it from your home as soon as possible.
