It can be very difficult to spot asbestos just by looking at it with the naked eye. So if you’re ever in doubt, call in a professional asbestos removal company such as Ice Asbestos. However there are a few things which you can keep an eye out for when it comes to spotting asbestos…
Age
- Homes built prior to 1970s: highly likely to contain asbestos, and it is commonly found as thermal insulation on basement boilers and pipes
- Homes built between 1970s- 1990s: likely to contain asbestos
- Homes built after 1990’s: unlikely to contain asbestos
Older homes will mostly have some risk of asbestos being present and, as a rule of thumb the older the house is, the more likely it is that asbestos was used during its construction and renovation.
Fasteners and joins
Most structures that use asbestos include battens that cover up the joins between the sheets, meaning that spotting these can sometimes be a sign of its presence. Theses are usually fastened in place with a nail that does not have a point (the idea being to punch a hole through the sheet and reduce the chances of the sheet breaking). Aluminium was often used as joining material on external walls, and wooden batten on internal walls.
Dimples
Asbestos “fibro” sheeting often has a distinctive dimpled or honeycomb-effect pattern, which can be seen clearly by the naked on the back of the sheeting.
However if you are at all concerned over the possible presence of asbestos in a building, it is imperative that the building is thoroughly inspected immediately. Asbestos can be pinpointed during an asbestos survey, which should always be carried out by a qualified professional.
For any enquiries regarding asbestos removal please don’t hesitate to contact us either by phone at 0333 772 0424.