For many decades, asbestos was the go-to valuable material for construction purposes – used in all trades for everything from insulation, wiring to cement laying.
One of the places where asbestos was most commonly utilised was as part of the construction of roof, ceiling and flooring tiles – after being bonded with other materials such as vinyl. Sadly, when it was at its most popular in terms of use for tiles, it had not been fully established just how hazardous this material was and the results of prolonged exposure to them.
Today, asbestos remains one of the leading causes of work-related illness, and having asbestos tiles anywhere in your home or workplace requires a knowledge and understanding of its condition and current risks.
Ceiling tiles
Ceiling tiles are known to be among the most commonly used in reducing noise, and asbestos was used as a useful property in sound dampening – meaning it was used for many years in acoustic ceiling tiles.
These are very common in office environments and a variety of professional settings – especially in workplaces where a meeting room or office environment is separated from a busy and loud factory floor.
Ceiling tiles also provide a good fire-proofing barrier in car garages and in school CDT departments, where the tiles are fixed above areas of combustion mor naked flame.
Floor tiles
Asbestos-containing floor tiles were popular due to their insulation properties, their strength properties / durability as well as their ability to resist fire.
Commercial and industrial properties used these types of flooring tiles for this very purpose, and there is typically a layer of adhesive underneath these tiles – such as bitumen – that is sure to contain elements of asbestos also as a binding agent – making for double asbestos concerns.
Identifying containment
It is difficult to detect asbestos with the naked eye and, as asbestos is a material contained within the tile, they can look identical to those tiles that don’t contain the hazardous substance.
The only way to be sure the tiles do contain asbestos is to have an asbestos survey conducted by a professional asbestos removal company that specialise in asbestos removal services. During an asbestos survey Manchester, samples will be taken for asbestos testing at a certified lab to determine the presence and type of asbestos held within tiles. The surveyor will provide a full report on the details of asbestos found and the potential next steps.
Removing asbestos tiles
Having asbestos tiles on your property does not necessarily mean they need to be removed with haste. Although this will be the case if they have been disturbed or disintegrated through time, or if you are re-modelling your property, they could be in good condition and can be contained and monitored to pose no further risks.
Removal should never be conducted by anyone not certified to safely remove and dispose of it, it requires action by specialists in asbestos removal Manchester and asbestos removal south Manchester.
Contact the team at Grosvenor Asbestos Solutions today for any concerns and require asbestos removal Cheshire.
