Removal of council house fireplace, has anyone done it? Need advice

Helena2006

When I moved Into This council house 8 years ago it had a tiled/cement fire place, I just painted it a different colour with tile paint so can’t remember what the original colour looked like. The fire was a usual council house fire. Anyway the fire wasn’t always smelling funny when used and it concerned me so council came out and disconnected it from the gas supply ( I have the paper work stating this). A year later I asked permission to remove it and they sent me a letter with all these conditions that I get a corgi registered guy to remove it ( even though it should be on their records that they themselves disconnected it) and that I send them a certificate of this and that I send them details of the company who will fit an electrical one and that I must fit that same gas fire again when I move . So I just left it and didn’t bother. Fast forward to today I wanted to remove it as we are redecorating, my toddler son keeps falling over the tiled slab attached to the floor so I took fire out and my husband chisled out old fireplace and boarded it al up with plaster board and brick. I did it because the gas has been capped off anyway and the fire and fireplace was there’s ugly doing nothing Now I’m worried I’ve exposed us all to asbestos. The house is 1935 and I’m worried now I’ve exposed us. How likely is it there was asbestos in the cement and other rmaterials in this fireplace. It seems like at one point part of the ‘hole’ of the chiney greasy was partly covered to make the ‘hole’ smaller as there is random broken brick/cement stuffed in that doesn’t match the other fireplace brickwork. Could I have some advice please
I’ve sent for an asbestos kit and paid for it test these materials
I’m so worried

EachPenny

The risk of problems with asbestos just from the fireplace is probably low, although there were some asbestos products which might be used in that kind of situation. However, there is nothing you can do about it now, so other than getting the tests done (if that is what you want to do) there is no point worrying about it.

Of more concern is what gas installation is still in place behind your husband's handiwork, and how that can be tested/inspected in future?

Also, now it has been chiseled out, how will you put the fireplace back to original condition when you move out?

Helena2006

There is nothing left behind it. The gas pipe had been cut and all that was there was a redundant pipe not connected to anywhere. The supply was disconnected by the council themselves ( like I said I also have the paper work) what types of materials where used in this situation containing asbestos as I’ve ordered a kit and don’t know which one to send off for testing ( I have ordered a 1 sample testing kit)

Helena2006

When the council come and do the annual gas safety check they don’t even inspect the fireplace as I tell them it’s been capped off previously so they just check the gas metre and boiler.

-taff

If there was, it's too late to worry about it now, just make sure you clean everything throroughly, damp down with spray water first.
https://blog.fireplaceproducts.co.uk/asbestos-in-your-fireplace/

Helena2006

I am worried now because what about everything left behind like the concrete inside the fireplace? Like all the concrete and stuff inside the ‘hole’ and walls on chimney breast, isn’t that now going to give off a continuous asebestos dust because we would have disturbed it? Which areas should I collect for testing as I’ve sent off for the kit.

-taff

If it's been boarded up there's nothin to worry abbout. Can't tell you what to test because Ican't see it and neither can anyone else. Are there any exposed areas left?

Helena2006

No it’s boarded up. On the floor is the concrete area where the hearth used to be and the wooden floor boards that’s it. All been cleaned now. I’d post a picture of it just after we took off fireplace but not sure that will help In giving advice

Helena2006

And also if the council where going to give us permission to remove the fire years ago wouldn’t they have disclosed the fact there may be asbestos in the fire? If there was any as I’m sure they would have put this in their list of conditions wouldn’t they?

-taff

If the council owned the house before it was built and it's never changed hands you can ask them if they have anything to suggest that there was asbestos used in the fireplace construction.
However, as far as I know, you have to ask permission before you do things like rip out fireplaces and block them up. Do you have to and did you?
As it's now blocked up there's nothing for you to test for any future consideration, but if you wanted to test anything, i would use the most likely source, which would be the cement or the flue. Ordinary brick would have been fine.

Helena2006

The council tested the tiles on the fireplace for asbestos because I asked them to when I was asking for permission to remove it. If they were positive I’m sure I would have heard from them. I’m sure they told me it’s negative but not sure I can’t remember now. I will just have to take some of the rubble and test that.