Asbestos-containing materials are a common problem in the UK. Asbestos was used throughout buildings up until its ban in 2000. Identifying and removing asbestos is important because it can cause serious health issues, including cancer, if its fibres are inhaled or ingested. Asbestos can be hard to spot but some key markers can help you to identify it.
You should never trust yourself or any other non-professional to successfully identify asbestos and remove it. This task should only ever be completed by someone who is properly trained. If you need a thorough asbestos inspection, Asbestos SOS can help. Our specialist team of highly qualified asbestos assessors will safely and precisely identify asbestos, test it, and remove it.
Asbestos was one of the most popular building materials from 1900 until 2000. In fact, the use of asbestos to protect and insulate clay pottery began way back in the Stone Age.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring silicone and it is made up of tiny fibres. The fibres, in turn, are comprised of microscopic fibrils. These fibrils are easily released into the atmosphere if the asbestos is touched, rubbed, or moved.
There are six different types of asbestos. All but one have straight fibres while one has curly fibres. All types of asbestos have been used in construction but the three most commonly found are:
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The use of asbestos in the building trade was banned in 2000 (although friable asbestos was restricted as far back as 1978). The risks and dangers surrounding asbestos materials have become well known. It causes 5,000 deaths per year in the UK. Many of these deaths are from tradesmen who are commonly exposed to asbestos.
When the microscopic fibrils from asbestos fibres are inhaled or ingested, they stay within the body. Over decades, they can trigger serious health issues, such as inflammation, lung scarring (asbestosis), COPD, and cancer.
Lung cancer is the most common cancer associated with asbestos exposure but it can also cause other cancers, such as laryngeal and ovarian cancers.
Because it takes decades for the effects of asbestos exposure to show themselves, the link wasn't obvious for a long time. And in that time, our homes and places of business were built with asbestos in many of the building materials.
You might see the terms "friable" and "non-friable" asbestos. Friable asbestos means that the asbestos can be easily crumbled with just the touch of a human hand. This makes it more dangerous because it makes it more likely that asbestos fibres can accidentally be released into the air and inhaled.
The widespread use of asbestos is known as the biggest mistake within the construction industry. But there were good reasons why the material was so popular before the dangers were fully realised.
Asbestos has several properties that make it an excellent choice for construction materials.
Asbestos is a versatile material that can be used in a wide variety of applications. You will often see asbestos in areas of a property where its attributes will be most useful. If your property was last updated before 2000 and especially before 1980, it is worth being cautious that asbestos could be present in a variety of areas.
Because of its insulating properties, you will often find asbestos in the roof area. This can be in the form of roofing felt, asbestos loose-fill insulation, asbestos sprayed insulation, water tank insulation, and pipe lagging.
Check out: Asbestos Roof Removal
Asbestos is water resistant so it will often have been used in the bathroom. Bath panels, asbestos floor tiles, and even the toilet cistern or seat could all have been made with asbestos.
Artex ceilings, with their decorative raised coatings, were very popular for a while. These were often created using asbestos. But even standard ceiling tiles were often an asbestos-containing material.
Asbestos Insulation Board (AIB) is a very common building material used in a wide variety of applications. It isn't made from pure asbestos. But tends to have amosite asbestos or chrysotile asbestos mixed in with other materials.
These boards were used to take advantage of the fire protection, soundproofing, and insulating properties of asbestos.
You could see them used in:
An asbestos-sprayed coating was often applied as a form of insulation to pipes and other household elements.
Discover: Asbestos Pipe Insulation Removal
Asbestos is difficult to identify. Raw asbestos looks like a mineral made up of fibres. But when it is used in construction, it will have been mixed with other materials so its look can change. It is also readily painted which can further mask the asbestos.
Asbestos can be white, brown, green, or blue. Or it could have been painted over to be a different colour altogether. Because it is often used as a small element in the material, it may not be visible at all unless the material is broken apart (which would be dangerous as this would release the asbestos fibres).
There can be some telltale signs in some types of asbestos-containing materials.
This is generally found sprayed onto steelwork, ceilings, walls, and underside of roofs as insulation and fireproofing.
It looks almost like concrete and will usually be a lumpy white.
Because the asbestos is fully exposed and highly friable, there is a high risk of asbestos fibres being released into the air.
This type of insulation consists of pure asbestos fibres poured into a container, such as a fire door, between panels, or in jiffy bags.
It is usually blue/grey and is clearly made of fibres.
This is the most dangerous form of asbestos because the fibres aren't sealed in any way so any movement or disturbance at all will send them flying into the air.
Often used as pipe lagging, and sometimes hand-applied, asbestos thermal insulation can be difficult to spot because it is likely to have been painted over.
The thermal insulation will be white, pink, or grey and can be raised and lumpy.
Because there is often a high asbestos content and the fibres are easily disturbed and friable, there is a high risk of inhalation.
Identifying the Asbestos Insulating Board (AIB) is notoriously difficult because it will always have been painted or decorated in some way.
It can resemble plasterboard and would have been installed anytime up until the 1980s.
Asbestos Insulation Board (AIB) is considered high risk because it is so easily damaged when interfered with and is highly friable which will release the asbestos fibres.
Like AIB, asbestos cement products can be very difficult to spot. Asbestos cement is asbestos mixed with cement and, when dried, it looks exactly the same as cement. When broken, some of the fibres may be visible. Otherwise, it is impossible to tell the difference between it and cement.
Being mixed with cement and sealed means that there is a low risk of the asbestos fibres being released since it is non-friable. It is still important to get asbestos testing completed if you suspect you may have asbestos cement in your property.
Asbestos paper is usually coloured white, grey, or brown. And will be a paper, card, or felt with tightly packed fibres.
It is often found as fire protection and heat or electrical insulation. You could find it in roof felting, as part of a damp-proof course, or wrapped around electrical equipment.
Asbestos fibres are unlikely to be released from simple movement but a tearing of the paper can release them into the atmosphere.
This type of asbestos decorative finish for walls or ceilings can be relatively easy to spot. It will have clear peaks and grooves and will look like a textured paint finish in a swirly, repetitive pattern.
Unless the ceiling or wall is removed or damaged, it is unlikely that there will be fibres released into the air.
Asbestos was often used in textiles to take advantage of its fireproofing properties. You can find it in fire blankets, curtains, aprons, electrical cloth, and even carpeting.
Like asbestos paper, asbestos textiles are at a medium risk of releasing asbestos fibres. However, damage to the textile can trigger the release of fibres.
Some types of asbestos can be easier to identify than others. Because of this, it is important that you bring in professionals to do proper testing before attempting to move or remove any suspected asbestos-containing materials from your property.
Some types of asbestos materials can release asbestos fibres into the air with even the smallest movement. At Asbestos SOS, our technicians are fully trained in health and safety when dealing with potential asbestos. This ensures that they are always protected from inhaling or ingesting any dangerous asbestos fibres.
If you suspect that there could be asbestos in your property, our highly qualified and professional team will provide a home visit to conduct asbestos testing and discuss the options for removal.
