We are in the process of buying a late 1960's built house and the survey has found the hot water tank in the roof-space and the garage roof are constructed oif concrete-asbestos. Survery recommended replacing the water tank with a plastic one, but just leaving the old tank in the roof space as it would be too costly to remove.
Is there any risk of contamination in the rest of the house in having the old water tank sitting in the roof space?
DemonFish
The risk is greater than zero, but probably not enough to worry about. If you were worried you could just wrap the tank in a couple of layers of heavy polythene and tape it up securely.
The risk all depends on which type of asbestos it is. There are 3 substances called asbestos. Amosite and crocidolite (brown and blue) are risk substances, but are safe if bound in cement. If applied loosely they are dangers to be taken seriously. Chrysotile, white, is harmless. The great majority of asbestos is chrysotile, which one have you got?
NT
PS
No risk whatsoever, so long as you don't break it.
Iif you are worried seal the tank up in polythene. If it were me I probably wouldn't even bother having it disconnected.
However, you can always use it as a bargaining tool against the vendor and request a discount!
sponix
A plastic HOT water tank ????
And it's asbestos-cement, not "concrete asbestos"
Does your surveyor know what he's talking about?
Thanks all for your responses...and yes Peter it is the cold water tank, not the hot!
Sounds like it's not an imminent threat, but should be a bargaining chip when it comes to the usual horse-trading before exchanging contracts.
Cheers
Offer whatever you have agreed minus the cost of removing the tank and see what the reaction is..
sponix
Get rid of the thing! Having watched my dad die of Mesothelioma I could'nt be anywhere near the stuff! I've had it removed from large chunks of my house. Evil, evil stuff...
Why? It's up in the loft sitting there quite quietly. Why disturb it and liberate the potential dust ? Doing this would _increase_ your likely exposure, not reduce it.
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