Find an Asbestos Removal Contractor you can trust in West Lothian.

Are you planning to remove or renovate your garage? Before proceeding with the intended project, it’s usually essential to firstly determine whether or not your garage contains asbestos. However, asbestos isn’t the easiest material to identify and even more so when you’re unsure of what it looks. The fibres on the other hand are not visible to the eye and can’t be smelt as it’s odourless. In this article, we’ll provide you some helpful tips to spot an asbestos garage roof. Let’s take a closer look!

✓ Figure out when the building was constructed. In the year 1999, a ban was placed on the use of asbestos in the UK, both to manufacture and supply of asbestos materials. As a result, if your garage was built before this period, then it’s very likely that an asbestos containing material was used. It’s also important to note that several garage roofs that contain asbestos are constructed with the help of flat or corrugated sheets of cement.

✓ Check the surface. When cement contains asbestos its usually fairly thin with visible fibres running through it. Also, the surface of the cement will have a texture and also some craters. If you an older cement sheets is incorporated, there’s a high chance that it contains asbestos.

✓ How it’s built. Asbestos materials are usually joined together by aluminium runners and help in position with nails that are blunt-ended. Take a look at the joints, if the sheets inside is held together by wooden or plastic runners then there’s danger.

Finally, roofs made from asbestos cement has a good chance of becoming very brittle.

Asbestos fibres are very small, so they’re not possible to identify with the naked eye. However, they’re common in particular materials of a certain age, so you can work out if there are any parts of a building that are likely to contain asbestos.

Start by checking the date that the material you suspect contains asbestos was installed. If it was in 2000 or after then you don’t need to worry, it definitely doesn’t contain asbestos. However, if it was fitted before 2000 it may contain asbestos, particularly if this was between 1940 and 1980.

Materials that used to commonly contain asbestos include ceiling tiles, guttering, soffits, fascia, external cladding and facades, vinyl flooring, artex, cement roofs and insulation.

In some situations, it is possible to remove asbestos from your home without holding a licence. However, unless you’ve had training on working with asbestos, it’s not a good idea to do the work yourself. In these cases, you’ll need to make sure you wear complete protective clothing, including a face mask and overalls, and disturb the material as little as possible. You’ll also need to find out the best place to dispose of your asbestos here [https://www.gov.uk/asbestos-in-home], and get rid of your protective clothing in the same place.

However, in many cases you’ll need a licence to do an asbestos removal job, so will need to call in a professional. This is also almost always the safest way to remove your asbestos too, so is generally the best option to go for.

There are all different types of Asbestos. Some kinds of asbestos, if they are in good condition, may be left as they are or covered up. If there is any danger of the asbestos being damaged and particles entering the air, it should be removed. Once a survey has been completed you will be advised on what course of action to take.

Asbestos refers to a group of minerals made up of tiny fibres. If you become exposed to these fibres and breathe them in, you’re at risk of contracting a dangerous lung-related disease.

Asbestos is strong and a good insulator, which means it was previously used to insulate and reinforce parts of buildings, like ceilings, roofs and guttering. Its use has been banned in the UK since 2000, but it is still present in lots of domestic and commercial buildings today.

Asbestos usually only poses a health risk if the material it’s contained in is damaged and its fibres are released into the air.

In recent times, when about to purchase or renovate a building that was constructed before the 1980’s, most homeowners will be particular about knowing whether or not asbestos containing materials are present. Also when a property is being checked, a lot of individuals would want to know the peak years for asbestos to be used in homes.

Modern asbestos production started in the 1800s during the time of industrial revolution, but after some regulation were made to ban some asbestos products and uses in the late 1970’s, the production witnessed a significant drop. The United States was the foremost users of asbestos according to the USGS but this lasted until the 1960’s when it was overtaken by the Soviet Union. In this article, we’ll look at the years of use for asbestos containing materials like pipe insulation, vermiculite as well as wall systems.

✓ Insulation. Asbestos insulation was commonly used in homes with lots of focus on both piping and ductwork. This was started in the year 1908 but was ended between 1915 and 1920 by Air-Cell pipe insulation.

✓ Vermiculite. This refers to a mineral that’s popular for its insulating properties and mostly used as insulation for attics. It possesses a gold to brown kind of appearance and it’s also a pebble material that shimmers in the light. According to the EPA, if this material is suspected in a home it should be assumed to contain asbestos.

✓ Wall Systems. Plaster and drywall are very common wall types that are asbestos containing. And until asbestos was banned both wall systems are said to have asbestos. For example the drywall sheets as well as it’s joint compound both features asbestos from the 1930s to the 1980s.

There is no legal requirement to have an asbestos survey done to sell your house. However, some mortgage lenders, estate agents and insurance companies may require one. Many home buyers and/or valuers will want to know before submitting an offer for your property.

What Does Asbestos Cause?

The perfect example of a silent killer is asbestos. Wonder why? From the day of exposure, you might not see any symptoms of the asbestos containing material disease till years later and more often than not, these disease are not treatable. And as dangerous at it is, it’s most likely not something you’d think about on a daily basis unless you’ve been affected by this harmful material or probably someone you know has.

Found in rocks and soils, asbestos have been an important material for manufacturers across the globe for numerous reasons. Not only are they exceptional insulation materials in both electrical and buildings, but they’re also flexible and resistant to heat, chemicals as well as electricity. And due to this fact, they represent a very common material that’s used in automotive parts, construction materials as well as textiles.

Asbestos when disturbed and inhaled for a long period of time can significantly increase your risk for diseases such as lung cancer, mesothelioma as well as asbestosis. Smokers are more likely feel a greater impact as cigarette smoke irritates lung passages which makes it a lot more difficult for the lungs to remove asbestos fibres.

Mesothelioma. This is a form of cancer that affects the lining of the lungs as well as the lining surrounding the lower digestive tract. By the time diagnosed, it’s almost always fatal.

Lung Cancer. This asbestos related lung cancer is almost the same with that caused by smoking and other causes.

Abestosis. This is a serious scarring condition of the lung which usually occurs after exposure to asbestos after a lengthy period. It can lead to shortness of breath, and in some cases, can be fatal.