With a lot of people concentrating on purchasing homes in 2021, a drive by buyers to purchase older property is like a dream come true, that also can have the worst nightmare attached – asbestos risks.
Many older buildings that were built or restored have asbestos as a design feature way before the risks towards health were made public. Any older building you purchase can have various elements of asbestos present and, should you decide to renovate, you have a potential threat that needs to be addressed and removed.
But what is asbestos, where is it within an older building and why is it a problem moving forward?
Asbestos
When we talk about asbestos we are alluding to a fibrous material that was utilised in building and construction projects until the 1990s.
Asbestos as a term for six naturally occurring minerals (Chrysotile, Amosite, Crocidolite, Anthophyllite, Tremolite and Actinolite) used in building for well over a century. As an affordable material resistant to many hazards like fire, heat, electrical and chemical damage, it was seen as an all-encompassing insulator, especially for residential properties, in walls, heating systems and roofing.
In the mid-80s, the use of blue and brown asbestos was made illegal with white asbestos joining them in the late 90s. Whilst every property built from 2000 onwards is safe, all properties built prior to 2000 can still carry the risk of asbestos within the property which can cause a multitude of health risks.
Discovery of asbestos
It is not unusual to discover your home contains asbestos and in a lot of cases, there is nothing to worry about.
The greater risk comes from it being disturbed from renovation work or any incident in the house which can lead to the inhalation of the microscopic fibres that can begin to affect your health. Getting an asbestos refurbishment survey prior to beginning any major alteration works is strongly recommended. If you have recently had an asbestos survey Manchester and it has identified asbestos, don’t panic. What you need to do is speak to a professional asbestos removal south Manchester contractor in order to have it removed safely.
Do not attempt to remove asbestos yourself under any circumstances. Although you may believe it to be a straightforward activity, it requires specialist training together with correct waste carriers licenses and asbestos services to remove and dispose of it.
By bringing in a professional to handle all aspects from asbestos testing to asbestos removal Manchester you keep yourself, your family and your property safe. If you have purchased an older property and plan on doing some work to make it your own, contact Grosvenor Asbestos Solutions to provide asbestos removal services and solutions that will safely protect you from asbestos risks within your home.
