Asbestos in the floor: Advice, please

[Timbrook99]

A friend is considering purchasing a house which has a garage which runs under the sitting room on a sloping site, built in the early 50s.

The surveyor has pointed out that the garage ceiling, i.e. below the sitting room floor, is lined with sheets that include asbestos.

In the garage, the ceiling appears to have been skimmed with plaster, so the surveyor only spotted the asbestos by pulling up a loose part of the sitting-room floorboards, over the garage.

The surveyor's report says, "Use of asbestos is unacceptable today". Brilliant -not altogether helpful a sort of, "No more, no less". No advice about asbestos risks or their prevention.

Given that there is a range of risks associated with asbestos, I understand there's different sorts of asbestos whose effects from lethal to f-all.

So:

1. Is asbestos always a real problem, in every case?

1. If it is under a floor and skimmed with plaster, should we worry?

If anyone has real knowledge on asbestos, then we'd like to know.

(PS. There's no intention to avoid our genuine legal duties about asbestos.)

So, if it requires stripping out by a licensed asbestos-removal-team then it may well be that my friend buys the house and gets it sorted.... but

just as nobody on this group has any respect whatsoever for the "corgi-thieves" who instal £700 gas boilers for more than £2,500 theft.

some realistic thoughts about this required.....

[Peter Crosland]

Although it may not present a real hazard there is always the risk that it might make the property difficult to sell. Tell him to walk away unless the vendor is willing to pay the removal costs that will start at around £3k judging by a local case that happened locally in Somerset.

Peter Crosland [e-mail]

[dg]

If its not friable ( i.e. flaky) and you will not be disturbing it, then it can be left.

The only risk is when the fibres are released into the air. Asbestos cement boards are very dense and do not release fibres unless cut or broken - even then the release is minor unless you produce lots of dust from the cutting of it.

We leave it in all our properties, having first noted its location. If we need to do any work which will disturb it, then we remove it.

Many houses have asbestos in them though, but it does not make the house dangerous. The surveyor was trying to cover himself, but it is certainly not a professional comment to have made.

Some local councils will collect suitably wrapped asbestos debris, or provide a skip at the local dump for you to take it. You don't need it professionally removed, as you can DIY

dg

[derek]

Not in domestic premises. Most asbestos in houses is included in asbestos cement products (sheet, pipes, and flues) which include a lot of cement and a little asbestos (10-15%). What little asbestos there is is firmly bound in the cement substrate.

If it's sound and not getting damaged it's best left alone, there is some asbestos in most houses.

There are loads of council websites with asbestos info. including simple precautions if you have to cut it etc. Do a google search using the terms: council + asbestos + health

Dwelling house quantities can just be wetted down, bagged up and marked "Asbestos" and taken to a council tip, maybe by prior arrangement.

DG

[Andy Dingley]

This is simply false. _Installation_ of asbestos is unacceptable today. Continued _use_ of long-installed asbestos is perfectly acceptable, provided that there's no exposure hazard from it.

For a ceiling, provided it doesn't have any obvious damage, then it's no problem at all. It's of a type that's an extremely low hazard, and it isn't going anywhere. It's also a damned good fire protection above a garage.

Failing that, float the house onto a barge and tow it round to Cleveland.

-- Die Gotterspammerung - Junkmail of the Gods

[Rick Dipper]

As long as you don't break it and get loose fibres in the air its fine. If its cracked or loose its not fine. Getting it out professionally is expensive, I would get a quote and reduce the vendors price by the size of the quote.

Rick