Where is Asbestos Found?

Now that there is increased public awareness of the dangers of asbestos, many people ask the question: Where is asbestos found in the home? The short answer is, "many places". Asbestos was considered to be a wonder substance for many years and was used in innumerable products. It was only banned in 1999, so can be found in buildings everywhere built prior to the year 2000.

Asbestos cement was used in dozens of products. It was used to make corrugated roofing material and can be found on many garages and sheds, as well as on industrial structures and many rural farms. It was also used as roofing on many homes. While it is never safe to assume anything when it comes to asbestos, there is a good chance that if you see a corrugated rood with moss growing on it, it is made of asbestos. There is no cause for concern if you are in the vicinity, but if you are planning on doing any work that involves cutting into, removing or drilling a corrugated roof, be sure you know for a fact that it is not asbestos before you begin.

Asbestos cement was frequently used in the manufacture of wall claddings and was most often used to clad buildings that also had asbestos roofs. Since the house or structure may have been painted or even re-clad during renovations, you may not recognize it. Should you start to work on the walls of a structure whose cladding may be made of asbestos, have it analyzed before you do any major work.

When asbestos was in its heyday, it was used in dozens of applications. Downpipes and gutters were made of asbestos cement, as were water tanks, pipes and many other products. Air conditioning systems, boilers and ventilating systems also were made from asbestos cement.

Asbestos cement is less dangerous than other types of asbestos. This is because it has been mixed with ordinary cement. You do not need a license to do small jobs on asbestos cement products, but precautions must be taken. Do not take anything lightly when it comes to asbestos. You can find full safety instructions online. Also remember, some of the coatings used on these products contained a more dangerous type of asbestos. Know what you're dealing with before you begin.

Asbestos can often be found in textured wall and ceiling coatings. These are very dense and also have been coated, so if left intact or drilled into, they are safe. However, you should never attempt to sand them. This will result in the release of asbestos particles and is extremely dangerous. There are other coatings that included asbestos as well, so if your house was built before 2000, find out before you do anything to disturb these coatings.

The most dangerous asbestos of all is the loose asbestos that was used in floor and ceiling cavities. This is deadly, so stay away from it and contact a licensed asbestos removal expert (HSE-licensed) if you see this. It is grayish in colour and resembles cotton wool.

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