Old houses and asbestosis?

elephantrosie

Does it concern you that if the house is too old, eg. Victorian houses, it is built using asbestos that would not be approved in this era?

Is it safe to live in it?

EachPenny

elephantrosie wrote: »

Is it safe to live in it?

Asbestos, lead paint and lead pipes are some of the many things in older houses you need to be aware of, most are perfectly safe so long as you don't disturb them - e.g. when decorating.

The only thing you really want to make sure you actively get rid of is any lead piping supplying water you drink or wash in. Lead pipes as part of the drainage system can be left.

There is really good information on the HSE website about asbestos and what you need to do about it.

You could also do some googling of materials in the home which are likely to pose a hazard - lead and asbestos are not the only ones

Slithery

Asbestos is perfectly safe as long as you don't disturb it (ie cutting/drilling).

Thrugelmir

A house doesn't have to be Victorian to contain asbestos. Importation of certain types of dangerous asbestos didn't take effect until 1985.

macman

Abestos was far more commonly used from the 1930's to the 1980's. Not in the Victorian era. If it had been, half the housing stock in the UK would be affected.

elephantrosie

old houses are scaryyyyy!

Owain_Moneysaver

I'd be more worried about leaky lead gas-pipes in a Victorian house. Or arsenical wall-paper.

EachPenny

macman wrote: »

Abestos was far more commonly used from the 1930's to the 1980's. Not in the Victorian era. If it had been, half the housing stock in the UK would be affected.

But it doesn't of course mean that asbestos won't be found in Victorian or any other buildings, especially if they were renovated during the peak usage of asbestos.

Even the HSE guidance that implies properties built or refurbished after 2000 shouldn't contain asbestos makes the assumption that nobody decided to make some alterations using 'the old bit of board I had in the shed'.

EachPenny

elephantrosie wrote: »

old houses are scaryyyyy!

No, they are lovely And if properly looked after will still be standing long after many modern developments have been flattened.

Niv

If a house was built before 2000 it could contain asbestos, houses built after this time should not (although some may have a little cement if the builders were a little dodgey.


Victorian homes are very unlikely to have been built with asbestos, they would have been part of 'home improvements' some time later.

lincroft1710

EachPenny wrote: »

No, they are lovely And if properly looked after will still be standing long after many modern developments have been flattened.

There were thousands of poorly constructed Victorian houses. Most of UK's worst slums were built during Victoria's reign. The good news is that the majority of these have been demolished, but some remain and are still standing despite poor foundations, dodgy brickwork and mortaring.