I have the 9x9" asbestos tile in my basement, and I wonder if it would be ok to just remove the loose tiles, and then glue linoleum on top of them? Also smooth out the removed tiles with floor cement compound.
I have the 9x9" asbestos tile in my basement, and I wonder if it would be ok to just remove the loose tiles, and then glue linoleum on top of them? Also smooth out the removed tiles with floor cement compound.
What did the pro's say when you called them?
I can't give construction specifics but as far as asbestos exposure, it is OK. I'd be more concerned about filling voids with cement that may sag. The asbestos is not going any where.
Why not glue the loose tiles down before covering them? No need for extra work with filler.
It's OK for the OP to be exposed to asbestos? How do you feel about him wearing seat belts? Is that unnecessary as well? Sheesh.
OP: Asbestos is only a problem when the fibers get airborne, which they do quite readily. It's your home and your health, and technically you're supposed to call to have the guys in the moon suits in to do it, but that's overkill for floor tile in my opinion.
I can't tell you what you should do, but I would definitely suit up, wear a N95 dust mask or respirator, and wet everything down prior to starting. If I saw any dust at all I'd know I haven't wet things down enough, and I'd have plenty of lighting so I'd be sure to notice the dust. I'd use plastic and tape off the area, tape doors closed, and have one window in the basement open with a fan blowing out. That would create negative air pressure in the work space, and any minor amount of dust that did manage to get airborne wouldn't escape into the rest of the house.
I'd put everything in a doubled up contractor trash bags inside a trash can with some newspaper on the bottom to prevent the corners of the tile from cutting through the bags, and I wouldn't let the trash can get too heavy. I'd spray down the stuff inside the bag just before tying it up - can you tell I think wetting the stuff down is the critical step, yet? I'd move slowly when tying up the bags as squeezing them quickly tends to puff out some air, and that could carry dust. And I'd pass the bags out through another basement window so I wouldn't be traipsing through the house with the stuff. I'd work in smaller sections where I could keep the tile and everything else wet without drenching the basement, and I'd pick up the wet slurry with a wet dry vacuum with a HEPA filter that I'd be prepared to toss when I'm done (the filter, not the vacuum!). I wouldn't be sucking up standing puddles, but more like wet slurry to prevent clogging the vaccum filter.
At the end of everything it should be wiped down with wet rags and they would be tossed in the trash when done. I wouldn't want to be going back and forth from a bucket of water, wringing out the rags like I'd normally do when wiping things down, as that would inevitably leave some asbestos fibers behind.
I think you get the idea of how I'd go about it - I'd be fastidious about it. You're only going to do it once, and no matter how you look at it it's going to take a full day to do it safely, and it's no big deal.
R
If a few of the tiles have come loose, then the rest are about ready to let go. I just finished a job like this. The tiles that weren't yet loose came up mostly whole using only a steel prybar.
Check a few more tiles. You might have only a 15-minute job getting rid of the whole mess.
If he does not break opr remove the tiles he will NOT be "exposed" to asbestos. He is best to just reglue the loose ones and cover it up with a solid vinyl floor covering.
It is a vinyl asbestos tile, with the asbestos encapsulated very well. As long as it is not broken up/removed there will be NO fibres loose - and even if removing the tile, unless you need to break them up badly, very little exposure.
The following recomendations are likely gross overkill, but would definitely be a safe way to go about removing the tile
That's right. Asbestos is encapsulated. If dust is generated, you should wear a dust mask no matter what the dust is.
The general public thinks the asbestos is going to jump out at you ;)
I usually washed the dust down the drain, at least after the first 2 years (was a mechanic since 1969)
I agree to remove ALL of them. Use a wide 4 or 5" putty knife with a thick blade, not those that flex easily. Those tiles were either "Asphalt Tile" and was glued down with a black tar-like adhesive. Or it was "Vinyl Asbestos" and glued down with a yellow colored adhesive. Since you said they are 9x9 inch, they are likely the Asphalt Tiles and are easier to remove. After tiles are removed, scrape the whole floor with your putty knife to remove lumps and bumps in that old adhesive. Then sweep and vacuum the floor before laying the new flooring.
If after trying to remove several tiles, you find they are not lifting fairly easily, then you may be best to NOT remove them. In which case you glue down the loose ones and use filler as needed. If they show signs of cupping, lifted corners, etc. This WILL show up in the new flooring, so removal is almost required. Note, a heat gun often helps to remove stubborn ones. One other thing, if they have been waxed with a floor wax, you MUST remove the wax with a special wax remover available at a flooring store. Using this chemical can be a pain in the ass job and the odor is nasty, and the stuff is costly This alone makes removal of the old tiles more suitable.
As far as the health risks of the asbestos, there are none unless you start sanding or grinding them. The asbestos is encased in the tiles themselvesm it's not a powder, and is harmless if it's not breathable dust. Skin contact is not harmful. Even if they break, they are not turning to dust. Using a heat gun (if needed) should make them come up in one piece.
I've done many of these floors, most were not too bad to remove.
Flooring stores also sell special heavy duty scrapers. Costly but worth the money if it's a large floor.
Eek!
Don't call the pros!
If they confirm you actually HAVE asbestos, you may face thousands of dollars in expense to have a certified, licensed, approved, and circumcised asbestos abatement removal company render your home indistinguishable from major storm damage.
You neighbors will shun you and your kids after noticing moon-suits parading around.
Further, you will forever have to disclose to any potential buyer that you're trying to sell you home before the rest of your family dies from cancer-causing compounds.
Said the poet: "Ignorance is bliss."
The above is exactly how one gets exposed to asbestos. Do not disturb them. Just cover them. That's the safe best way to handle them.
Lordy, what a tempest in a teapot. Asbestos floor tile, unless sanded or run through a chipper, is not 'friable'. If the remaining tiles are solid, fill the holes and cover. If the remaining tiles are loose, pop them off, double-bag in opaque bags so a nosy neighbor or trash man doesn't drop a dime on you, and move on. Scrape, shovel, and shut up. Disturbing intact asbestos causes more exposure than leaving it in place would. All those grade schools they spent a bazillion dollars 'abating' the asbestos in? A good coat of a flexible paint would have provided as much safety, in most cases, at a fraction of the cost. General public thinks asbestos is like radioactive waste, and sharks are taking advantage of that.
You're an expert on this? .....So according to your logic a house with asbestos shingles or tiles can't be sold?
Leaving asbestos in place is commonly done by experts in the field.
What's this "friable" nonsense! It's ASBESTOS for cryin' out loud! Murder, dead, kill! Its mere presence will suck the precious bodily fluids right out of you.
Think of the children!
Maybe I should have put a smiley...? ;)
BTW, you top-posting maroon - you do know that it makes it impossible to complete a joke when you top post. You're like the idjit that spits out the punch line when other people haven't heard the joke yet.
Oh, sorry. Almost forgot. ;)
R
But they MUST be removed or they will continue to kill whoever lives in that house. In fact 100% of everyone exposed to asbestos will die, sooner or later. So, you really should be experiencing a severe panic because your life has been threatened just from living in a house with asbestos.
You seem extremely phobic about this, and rightfully so. No one should spend their lives living in fear. However I can help. Right after reading this message, I formed an asbestos abatement company. I will remove your tiles at the very reasonable cost of $50 per square foot of tiled floor, plus the cost of materials and plane fare and/or other transportation to and from the job.
Just think how much better you'll sleep at night knowing these tiles are gone, and no longer poisoning your home. But dont delay, every minute of your time spent in that house is one minute closer to your death. You need to act immediately or all your worst fears about asbestos will come true, and that will occur soon. ACT NOW.
I dont give out the phone number online, but you can reach my company by email.
Franks Asbestos Abatement Service snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com Email open 24 hours a day.
Since you'll be my first customer, I'd like to offer you a $10 discount on the job. Simply copy and paste this message to your email, and you'll get this discount. However, you MUST act within the next 24 hours to receive this discount.
Frank
President of: Franks Asbestos Abatement Service
? wrote
Don't listen to Frank, he'd taking advantage of a crisis. I, on the other hand, can help you get rid of that phobia and live in harmony with the tiles. In only a few months time, I'll coach you to live life to the fullest and have no fears. Don't fall for some abatement company scam when for a low weekly payment of $59,99, you can have true peace in your life.
LOL. This question must have been asked hundreds of times here now. Here's my two cents:
Google is your friend. It won't be hard to find advice from various sources on how to deal with floor tile containing asbestos. In paricular, if you want to follow the letter of the law, I'd look for guidelines for your state and/or municipality. In general, if the tiles are intact and you aren't sanding them, sawing them, etc, they can safely be removed by a reasonable homeowner. If you're unreasonable, ie scare to death of asbestos and will live forever in fear, then maybe it's worth it to hire a professional removal company.
The other issue here is the dondition of the remaining tiles. As some others have pointed out, if the remaining tiles are indeed firmly in place, then I would not fill in the spaces of the loose ones. I'd glue the loose ones back down, which will be far easier. If you try to fill in the missing ones, it would seem to me that you're going to have to then level it off somehow, which could lead to sanding, which aint a good idea.....see above.
But I would tend to agree with the poster who said that if some of them are loose, the others may not be far behind. What happens to your new floor when that happens later? Another alternative might be to cover the whole thing first with some appropriate sheet material, fastening it to the concrete with a Hilti gun, etc. Just a thought....
But before doing that, or covering it in any way, I'd also consider the state laws on disclosure for real estate sales. Most have them now and they typically ask if the house is known to contain asbestos. While nothing says you have to remove it, it's just one more potential issue to deal with if the buyer willing to buy it starts bitching....
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