Find an Asbestos Removal Contractor you can trust in Knutsford.

For some types of asbestos, you are not legally required to use a licensed contractor. However, it’s recommended that you always use one. These contractors will have all the relevant training and knowledge to make sure asbestos is removed safely. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the licensing body.

Being a commonly used building material in the 1950’s to about 1990’s, asbestos is very popular back in the days and used for almost every roofing project because of it fire resistant properties. They’re mostly mixed with cement and are known to last for over 4 decades.

Due to the harmful properties found in asbestos, the material was totally banned in the UK since the year 1999. It’s found that when disturbed, asbestos releases some fibres which when inhaled can result in some deadly health conditions such as lung cancer and asbestosis, which are all fatal. These diseases are mostly not detected until several years after the first exposure to the asbestos fibres, which makes them even more deadly. Hence, it’s crucial to know how to identify asbestos roof tiles so you can have them removed by a professional immediately. In this article, we’ll show you what you can look out for to identify asbestos roof tiles. Let’s take a look!

Asbestos roof tiles are typically square shaped and they also generally possess a combination of grey and black colour. Although asbestos can feature a number of colours based on the kind of material you mix with it. In truth, asbestos can be very tricky to identify, when disturbed not only are their fibres totally invisible to the naked eye but they’re also completely odourless. This implies that you may not even be aware that you’re exposed to such harmful material for a prolonged period of time. In order to accurately identify asbestos roof tiles, the only thing you can possibly do is to call in a UKAS accredited laboratory to have them tested. This way, you’ll have a peace of mind knowing the result will point you in the right direction.

The surveyors will check the entire property for signs of asbestos. They may take samples which can be taken away for anaylsis. If they find asbestos, they will inspect its condition, what grade it is and advise you of the best course of action to take.

Many examples of asbestos will not need removing, for example if it is present in artex that is in good condition. However, if you are carrying out building work on or near the asbestos it should be carefully removed before the building work starts to make sure it is not accidentally disturbed.

What Does Asbestos Cause?

The perfect example of a silent killer is asbestos. Wonder why? From the day of exposure, you might not see any symptoms of the asbestos containing material disease till years later and more often than not, these disease are not treatable. And as dangerous at it is, it’s most likely not something you’d think about on a daily basis unless you’ve been affected by this harmful material or probably someone you know has.

Found in rocks and soils, asbestos have been an important material for manufacturers across the globe for numerous reasons. Not only are they exceptional insulation materials in both electrical and buildings, but they’re also flexible and resistant to heat, chemicals as well as electricity. And due to this fact, they represent a very common material that’s used in automotive parts, construction materials as well as textiles.

Asbestos when disturbed and inhaled for a long period of time can significantly increase your risk for diseases such as lung cancer, mesothelioma as well as asbestosis. Smokers are more likely feel a greater impact as cigarette smoke irritates lung passages which makes it a lot more difficult for the lungs to remove asbestos fibres.

Mesothelioma. This is a form of cancer that affects the lining of the lungs as well as the lining surrounding the lower digestive tract. By the time diagnosed, it’s almost always fatal.

Lung Cancer. This asbestos related lung cancer is almost the same with that caused by smoking and other causes.

Abestosis. This is a serious scarring condition of the lung which usually occurs after exposure to asbestos after a lengthy period. It can lead to shortness of breath, and in some cases, can be fatal.

It’s a legal requirement to get an asbestos survey done on non-domestic buildings and public areas of domestic buildings if they were built before 2000. So, if you’re responsible for maintaining one of these types of building, you must find out if an asbestos survey has been conducted, and get one done if it hasn’t.

For domestic properties, you only need to get an asbestos survey done if your home was built before 2000 and you want to do some building work. This is because if any materials containing asbestos are damaged during the work, they could pose a serious health risk, so might need removing first.

However, if you’re worried about asbestos in any parts of your home that are deteriorating, you might want to get an asbestos survey done anyway.

How To Dispose Of Asbestos?

As a homeowner, you certainly wouldn’t like to the word “asbestos” and understandably so. Due to its extremely dangerous fibres, the material was banned in the UK since 1999 and any structure built with it will be heavily fined. However, if you’re presently doing some home improvement project or buying a property that was built before the year 2000, then a chance exists that the property could contain asbestos. So if you’re unlucky to discover asbestos in your property, getting rid of it can be quite simple if you know way around it. In this article, we’ll provide you with some tips on how to dispose of asbestos in your property. Let’s take a closer look!

✓ Careful Handling

If you happen to find asbestos in your property the best thing to do is to call in a reliable specialist who has the proper training and equipment to tackle the project. However, if you decide to handle it yourself, then it’s a must to do this with great care. For instance wearing safety gloves, dust mask, safety goggles and placement of asbestos into plastic bags would be a great idea.

✓ Take It To The Tip By Yourself

To save some money if you have access to a vehicle, then loading the bagged asbestos into your car and driving it to the nearest local tip would be a simple and cost effective alternative. However, you should check with your local authorities before attempting this.

✓ Use A Specialist

Hiring a professional asbestos removal contractor is simply the best way to dispose of asbestos. Their services may be a bit expensive, but they cover up for that in both speed and effectiveness.

✓ Use Your Council’s Asbestos Collection Service

Several councils off this services at a reduced cost. However, they are usually not as quick as a specialist contractor.

In recent times, when about to purchase or renovate a building that was constructed before the 1980’s, most homeowners will be particular about knowing whether or not asbestos containing materials are present. Also when a property is being checked, a lot of individuals would want to know the peak years for asbestos to be used in homes.

Modern asbestos production started in the 1800s during the time of industrial revolution, but after some regulation were made to ban some asbestos products and uses in the late 1970’s, the production witnessed a significant drop. The United States was the foremost users of asbestos according to the USGS but this lasted until the 1960’s when it was overtaken by the Soviet Union. In this article, we’ll look at the years of use for asbestos containing materials like pipe insulation, vermiculite as well as wall systems.

✓ Insulation. Asbestos insulation was commonly used in homes with lots of focus on both piping and ductwork. This was started in the year 1908 but was ended between 1915 and 1920 by Air-Cell pipe insulation.

✓ Vermiculite. This refers to a mineral that’s popular for its insulating properties and mostly used as insulation for attics. It possesses a gold to brown kind of appearance and it’s also a pebble material that shimmers in the light. According to the EPA, if this material is suspected in a home it should be assumed to contain asbestos.

✓ Wall Systems. Plaster and drywall are very common wall types that are asbestos containing. And until asbestos was banned both wall systems are said to have asbestos. For example the drywall sheets as well as it’s joint compound both features asbestos from the 1930s to the 1980s.