Asbestos is a natural fibrous rock that was widely used within homes and other buildings until 1999.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that is very strong and resistant to heat and chemicals. Over the years it has been used in a wide range of building materials and products, meaning that the vast majority of buildings, including homes, will contain asbestos in some form, but that does not mean they are dangerous if looked after properly.
Asbestos, when not disturbed, isn’t dangerous. It only becomes dangerous if materials containing asbestos are damaged or deteriorate with age. When damaged, asbestos releases tiny fibres into the air and breathing in high levels of these fibres may cause damage to your health.
It is not always easy to tell whether a product in your home contains asbestos as many modern asbestos free materials often look similar. It is
usually older products that contain asbestos.
Where could asbestos be found in the home:
- insulation panels
- vinyl or thermoplastic floor tiles
- some textured coating
- rainwater pipes and gutters
- some ceiling tiles
- outhouses, sheds and garages
- flue pipes
believe housing is committed to making sure that all materials containing asbestos in our properties are safe.
Full surveys are carried out before refurbishment works are undertaken in your home and records are kept of where any asbestos is identified.
Asbestos materials can become a risk if they are damaged, drilled, cut, sawn, scrubbed or sanded during DIY work and can result in exposure to asbestos fibres.
It is important that you contact believe housing before undertaking any DIY work that could potentially disturb asbestos containing materials in the home.
If we discover asbestos, we will decide what needs to be done to make it safe.
- All asbestos work should be carried out by a trained and competent person
- You need permission from us before carrying out any work that may disturb asbestos
- Never place asbestos waste in your bins – by law it must be disposed of by a licensed waste carrier.