Do you have (suspected) asbestos in your home? If so, it would be wise to investigate whether the asbestos could harm your health. Can it stay in place, or should you have it removed? In this article, you will read all about asbestos in your home. How do you recognise it, and where do you find a suitable company to have the asbestos removed?
What does it cost to have asbestos removed in your home?
The cost of removing asbestos in your home depends on various factors. Consider, for example, the amount of asbestos found and the severity of the risks. Asbestos removal is always preceded by an asbestos inventory. This costs at least £350. Removal starts at around £600.
Look in the table below for the average costs for asbestos removal in rooms:
| Affected room | Average costs |
|---|---|
| Up to 35 m2 | £ 900 – £ 1.100 |
| To 40 m2 | £ 1,100 – £ 1,300 |
| To 50 m2 | £ 1,300 – £ 1,500 |
| To 70 m2 | £ 1.600 – £1,800 |
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The effect of asbestos in the home on health
What exactly is asbestos? ‘Asbestos’ is a collective name for about six minerals. These minerals in turn consist of microscopic fibres that cannot be seen by the naked eye. Asbestos was widely used in construction from the 1940s until the 1980s. After all, the material was known to be strong, hard-wearing, fire-resistant and cheap.
Research has shown, however, that asbestos is very bad for your health. When asbestos is affected in the home, the fibres are released. This is the case, for example, when drilling or sawing into asbestos-containing material, or when the asbestos-containing material is exposed to the wind. If you inhale these fibres, it can affect the lungs. In the long run, this can cause cancer.
The greater the amount of fibres you inhale in your lifetime, the greater the risk to your health. People who have been exposed to asbestos extensively and for long periods through their work are particularly at risk. In contrast, incidental inhalation of small amounts of asbestos fibres poses a much smaller health risk.
If you find asbestos in your home, it does not necessarily mean you are at risk. As long as the asbestos is solid and therefore fibres cannot be released, it does not need to be removed. Of course, even if the asbestos does not pose an immediate risk, it is recommended to have a professional remove it.
Cognising asbestos in the home
As mentioned above, asbestos consists of microscopic fibres. These fibres are so fine that you cannot see them with the naked eye. So recognising asbestos fibres is not possible. What is possible, however, is recognising materials that contain asbestos.
How to find materials that contain asbestos?
Pay particular attention to houses built before 1 January 1994. In the 1970s and 1980s, asbestos was widely used in homes in insulation materials, sewer pipes, window frames and window sills, for example. When remodelling these types of houses, an asbestos inventory is therefore mandatory.
Asbestos corrugated sheets can be recognised by their appearance. They often look weathered and moss grows on them. In addition, a white speckled pattern on the material is a typical characteristic of asbestos.
Different types of material
There are two types of asbestos-containing material that can be distinguished: bonded material, and non-attached material.
- In the case of attached asbestos, material has been used to reinforce other material. It is therefore ‘stuck’ in this. As a result, the likelihood of asbestos fibres being released is relatively low. This means that these materials are relatively harmless: after all, asbestos only poses a threat when the fibres are released and inhaled. As long as the fibres are not released, there is nothing wrong. Adherent asbestos is often found in things like cement.
- Loose-bound asbestos, as the name implies, is not fixed in the material. As a result, asbestos fibres are more likely to be released. This makes loose-bound material a lot more dangerous than bonded material.
Below are the most common places for asbestos in the home: Floor tarpaulin with underlayment made of asbestos-containing paper
– Underlayment tiles made of asbestos-containing cardboard
Window sill and trim under window frame- Window sill made of asbestos-containing artificial marble
– Trim made of asbestos-containing cement fibreboard or board
– Framing behind radiator Kettle, boilers, geysers and other installations- Asbestos-containing board under central heating, plaster or cement
– Gaskets, sealing cord
– Drainage pipe (sewer, ventilation) made of asbestos cement
– Insulation around drain pipe – asbestos-containing plaster cement, fibreboard or cardboard Meter cupboard- Cladding meter cupboard
– Cladding door and skylight with asbestos-containing cardboard, fibreboard or cement
– Cover plate crawlspace hatch made of asbestos cement Between wall, suspended ceiling, attic skimming- System walls with asbestos-containing cement
– Cladding and cladding with asbestos-containing cement fibreboard or cardboard Flushing toilet and sewerage- Cover plate asbestos cement on cistern
– Sewerage, down pipe made of asbestos cement
– Ventilation duct made of asbestos cement Drainage pipe- Drainage duct made of asbestos cement
– Cladding around roof penetration asbestos cement, cardboard or fibreboard.
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