Find an Asbestos Removal Contractor you can trust in Llanbedrgoch.

Asbestos is very dangerous if inhaled. It can cause a variety of lung-related diseases. Asbestos will generally not be released into the air unless it is disturbed. You should be very careful if you suspect there may be asbestos in your home and have a survey carried out to check that it is not being released into the air.

The deposits of asbestos are commonly found in both rocks and soil throughout the globe. Historically, this material has been incorporated for more than 4,500 years for a number of purposes by our ancestors. However, mining of asbestos in large scale started only in the 1870’s in Quebec, Canada. It only took about a decade after this commencement before other countries picked the trail and also began the production of asbestos for industrial uses as asbestos rapidly grew to become an ubiquitous phenomenon across many nations of the world such as the USA, Russia, Italy as well as South Africa.

Today, several countries have placed a total ban on the production as well as exportation of asbestos as a result of the harmful fibre it contains. Asbestos has been discovered to be a life threatening material which when disturbed, it releases a harmful fibre that can lead to a number of serious health issues if inhaled over a long period of time. Most recently in 2019, the material was popularly banned in Canada, who for several years has operated the world’s largest mine of asbestos in Quebec.

Despite how harmful the material is, it’s however still being mined in some countries with some of its exporters being Russia, Kazakhstan, China as well as Brazil, with Russia taking the lead, covering for over 53 percent of the world’s total production.

Contrary to many beliefs, asbestos is not a man made material but a group of six types of naturally occurring fibrous minerals that are commonly found in rock and soil which are collectively known as asbestos. These minerals are primarily composed of both silicon and oxygen but also includes other minor elements.

The legal requirement to have an asbestos survey carried out applies to non-domestic properties. If you own or operate a non-domestic property such as an office, shop, or warehouse, an asbestos survey and management plan must be in place. For domestic properties, there is no legal requirement to have an asbestos survey.

How To Remove Asbestos

Asbestos are naturally occurring fibrous material that used to be incorporated into fabrics or mixed with cement for insulation purposes be it electrical or building. As it’s highly dangerous and life threatening if disturbed, the material has been in the UK since 1999, however there are some exceptions. If you happen to reside in a house that has been in existence prior to 1980, then there is a chance your house contains some asbestos. You may discover it in your home when carrying out some DIY tasks or renovation. And once you do, you should waste no time in having it removed as the longer you’re exposed to it, the more life threatening it becomes.

Removal of asbestos is a task you should never try to do by yourself as it becomes harmful when disturbed. In an event whereby you suspect something to be asbestos, do not touch but rather have it isolated and call in a specialist for help. So it’s therefore not recommended to attempt asbestos removal as a DIY project unless you’re are experienced in the techniques below:

✓ Before you get started, it’s crucial to wear the necessary protective gear. These include wearing a respirator, a disposable coverall, disposable rubber gloves, rubber boots as well as safety eye goggles. And ensure that you remove all protective gear clothing and gear before exiting the containment area.

✓ Remove the materials and place in asbestos waste disposal bags

✓ Ensure to remove the asbestos without breaking it up.

✓ Make use of double bag and seal all debris containing asbestos.

✓ Wipe down all surfaces with a damp cloth

✓ Fold and roll the polyethylene sheeting on the floor and dispose them same way as the debris - double bag and seal.

✓ Clean all tools and equipments used.

✓ When done, ensure to wash face, hands and bathe thoroughly.

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.

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.

If your house is built before the 1980’s it’s likely to contain some form of asbestos material which when disturbed can release some harmful fibres whose inhalation can lead to a number of fatal diseases and health issues like lung cancer and asbestosis. If you suspect that your house contains some asbestos materials, the best step to take is to call in a qualified asbestos consultant to carry out a thorough inspection of the area so as to identify the potential asbestos containing materials in your property.

The result of the testing done will bring a peace of mind as it’ll confirm whether or not the material actually contains asbestos. In the event whereby the testing result shows that the material does not contain asbestos, this will significantly reduce your renovation or demolition cost. So if you’re wondering how asbestos testing can be done, simply continue reading.

Identifying asbestos is as simple as just looking at the material with the naked to check if it contains the harmful substance. The presence or otherwise of a potential asbestos containing material can only be confirmed by laboratory testing. A qualitative identification of asbestos in a bulk sample is the best method for testing for asbestos. This asbestos testing process involves taking a look at the fibres under a polarized light microscope and under varying conditions to determine the kind of asbestos it is, if present. The result of the testing, if positive, will identify the type of the asbestos discovered and this can be either white or chyrsotile asbestos, brown or amosite asbestos or, blue or crocidolite asbestos. However in the event whereby the sample doesn’t contain any asbestos, the test result will show NAD or No Asbestos Detected.

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.