While identifying asbestos in your home is a must for all property owners, deciding what to do next can be tricky. Some people choose to leave the asbestos in situ while it remains undisturbed, while others want or need a professional asbestos removal service.

In older properties like traditional houses, public buildings (e.g., schools) and period homes, there are considerations to make when managing any asbestos present.

To get you started, here are some key points to know about asbestos removal in older homes.

Where is asbestos found in old properties?

While asbestos use was banned in the UK in 1999, many properties were built before this time. It was predominantly used in housebuilding between the 1940s and 1990s, so if your home was constructed during this time, there’s a much higher risk of its presence.

However, this doesn’t mean that even older properties like period homes or Victorian terraces aren’t affected, especially if there were renovations or upgrades performed during this time. For example, asbestos board was once as commonly used as plasterboard is now. You may also want any outbuildings inspected, like garages and shed roofs.

A few common areas where asbestos is found in older homes are insulation, textured spray coatings on walls and ceilings, floor tiles, wallpaper glue, old irons or ironing board covers and even toilet and sink reinforcements.

When is asbestos dangerous?

While asbestos remains intact, the risks are minimal. It’s only when it’s damaged or disturbed that some of the minute fibres are released, which can enter the lungs and damage them. While its presence alone isn’t a cause to panic, being aware of where asbestos is located in your property is sensible so that you can manage the risks.

To assess the condition of any asbestos in your home, you’ll need to request a professional survey. Based on the results, you may choose to keep an eye on it or have it removed if possible and safe to do so. You should also consider the effect of any home renovations on its stability, including vibrations from equipment and machinery that may disturb the fibres. Other damage can include waterlogging and cracks in the asbestos-containing materials (ACMs).

Asbestos removals in older properties

If you’re performing home renovations, discover material damage or simply want the asbestos gone from your property, safe removals should only be performed by a professional, as required by law. Examples of common asbestos removals include replacing asbestos sheets in garage roofs or removing vinyl floor tiles.

When you contact a professional asbestos disposal company, they’ll perform a risk assessment to check the presence, condition and extent of any ACMs before outlining the different solutions available. If a safe removal service is an option, they’ll need to prepare the area, seal and appropriately contain any removed asbestos, before transporting it to a licensed waste centre.

Arrange an asbestos survey and removal

Do you need an asbestos survey at your property? Contact the team at Goodbye Asbestos. We offer expert services throughout the area, coming out to Chessington, Chichester, Dorking and beyond.

For a free quote, please contact our team.