Removing Asbestos Linoleum - need advice
Asbestos is dangerous because minute asbestos particles can be inhaled and then lodge in your lungs. If, however, the asbestos isn't in a form that has small, loose particles such as sprayed asbestos, you really don't have much to worry about. Just as you don't have clay particles floating around if you have ceramic tile, you won't have asbestos particles floating around with asbestos tiles. So, if your asbestos is in a similar form you likely don't have much to worry about.
That doesn't mean, though, that you shouldn't be careful. I'll be wearing a full face mask when I remove the tiles and I'll drape plastic over the doorway to minimise any concerns I might have. Also, if I were to break up the tile instead of just lifting it up whole it would be a different story.
Don't take this as encouragement to break the law or guidelines that exist in your area, but understand that many things are less dangerous than they are made out to be and many things are more dangerous than they seem. Oxygen can kill you and chlorine that's used to treat drinking water can form into carginogenics, it all depends on the form it comes in and the quantities you are exposed to.
I encourage you to find out for sure what you are dealing with and maybe talk to some neighbours who might have tackled that problem already. You might even be able to get references and a price range from them.
Mark has some good advice. You can remove it yourself but as he says, you need to 'understand' a little about asbestos.
Asbestos isn't really a respiratory problem unless it becomes airborne (as you've already read.) If this occurs, you should have already sealed the room AND be wearing a Respirator. This is why you don't want to use a Saw or do any sanding when working with any material that contains Asbestos. In short, these 'tools' will make the Asbestos airborne!
So, if you're going to do this job yourself, seal the doorways and wear protective gear. MINIMIZE or do what you can to PREVENT the asbestos from becoming airborne. 'Splitting' the material by hand will cause it to become Friable (i.e., airborne/dust.) This is why you seal the room and wear the gear. You don't need a Professional Abatement company unless your Municipality requires it.
In many cases, a Pro would recommend you simply 'encapsulate' the floor and just install a new one. I happen to opt for removal since, some day, you MAY need to disclose EVERY form of 'known' Asbestos in the house, including the floor you've encapsulated. The Seller Disclosure Laws are changing all the time. Although encapsulation is OK since the Asbestos is non-friable ('solid' so to speak and harmless), folks just conjure up ALL kinds of 'bad thoughts' when they hear the word Asbestos! Once they're educated, they'll know all the better. It's that when it comes to buying YOUR house, they may run instead of asking if it's 'harmless'.
My best to ya and hope this helps.
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