asbestos in the home

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a natural material made up of strong fibres which are resistant to both heat and chemicals. These qualities made asbestos a popular material in the building trade and it was widely used in homes and offices between the 1950s and 1980s. The import and use of asbestos was banned in the UK in 1999 as a result of health risks.

When is asbestos a problem?

Even if there is asbestos in your home, it is not a problem provided the material containing asbestos is undisturbed and is in good condition. Asbestos only poses a risk if it is disturbed, damaged or deteriorates with age. If this happens, tiny fibres are released into the air which are easily inhaled and stay in the lungs. This can cause respiratory disease and sone types of cancer.

Where asbestos might be found

Asbestos can be found in a variety of materials around the home. Some of the most common include:

  • bath panels
  • ceiling tiles
  • water tanks
  • fire surrounds
  • floor tiles
  • lagging around pipe work and boilers
  • walls and ceilings with a textured coating finish
  • wall boards
  • rainwater pipes and guttering
  • soffit boards
  • roofing materials
  • wall cladding sheets
  • sprayed coatings to pipework.

Asbestos may be found in other materials; the above list is only a guide to the most common types.

Home improvements

If you are planning any home improvements and think you may have asbestos in your home, please contact us first. We can check our records and tell you if asbestos is present or arrange for someone from our specialist team to visit you and carry out a survey of the property. When carrying out DIY work:

  • always wear a protective face mask
  • do not drill, cut, scrub or sand anything that you think may contain asbestos
  • do not dust, sweep or vacuum debris that may contain asbestos
  • do not remove old floor tiles or linoleum - lay new floor coverings over them.

Handling and removal

As your landlord, it is whg's responsibility to remove or contain materials safely which contain asbestos from your home. Please contact us if you believe that you have asbestos in your home or garage. whg has a specialist licensed asbestos team that can offer advice, testing and removal where necessary. Do not attempt to remove or disturb items that you think may contain asbestos.