Is this asbestos and how to remove?

howtodo

Howdy all

We are having a new kitchen installed in about a week and a half.

The old units have just been removed and my last job was to pull out the old wooden tongue-and-groove drop-ceiling and arrange for the room/ceiling to be plastered before the new kitchen arrives.

So I just started pulling off the ceiling t&g boards and found spongy-feeling tiles underneath. I assumed they were polystyrene, but when I got to the middle of the room, I can see the previous residents obviously had a go at poking wires through the tiles, and they look decidedly like fibrey cardboard inside. Uh-oh.

These tiles are glued onto the roof behind them so there is no way to get them off without tearing them. Some of the panels have peeled off themselves leaving part of the tile stuck to the roof and are resting on the t&g drop-ceiling below.

So is this likely to be asbestos? The house was built in 1937 and these panels look old.

If it is asbestos, am I already in trouble by having exposed them? Do I need to evacuate my house?

Or can I just board over them, even though they seem to be peeling off themselves in places?

I don't even know where to start with this. Any help would be much appreciated.

eamon

Unfortunately you can't tell just by looking if it is or isn't (a microscope and knowledge would be needed).

The asbestos use boom in the UK started after WW2, though it was used extensively before then. This diagram from the HSE is useful and further reading of the link will also help. In the meantime stop working on your project.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/building.htm
http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/faq.htm#asbestos-in-my-home

vw100

Artex contains low levels of chrysotile <10% - the 'white' asbestos. Its the blue and brown asbestos usually in commercial and industrials places you got to really worry about.



Get a sample and send it off or get a reputable company to take a sample and get it tested to make sure.

Asbestos - we all breath it in from the atmosphere albeit very low amounts.

PhilE

You need an asbestos pro round ASAP. Your probably ok, but no one can tell without it being tested.

Artex is generally low content and just needs polyfilla.

EachPenny

vw100 wrote: »

Artex contains low levels of chrysotile <10% - the 'white' asbestos. Its the blue and brown asbestos usually in commercial and industrials places you got to really worry about.

You can find any type of asbestos in any kind of building. Plenty of residential buildings have blue and brown, and commonly 'asbestos' products will contain a mix of fibre types.

The level of 'worry' should be more to do with the form of asbestos (loose fibre insulation being something to really worry about) as well as the condition of the material - damaged materials can result in the release of fibres which might normally be bound into the product.

Therefore an asbestos containing ceiling tile which has been damaged to poke a cable through would be a concern regardless of fibre type.

The only way the OP can be assured is if they get a sample tested.