How To Spot And Treat Asbestos Tiles In Old Homes

January 27, 2022 Post a Comment

Asbestos tiles tin can ruin your twenty-four hour period. The term asbestos is thrown effectually so much on HGTV that information technology tin can be hard for the everyday person to know what it really is. We all know that it can be dangerous, merely not many of united states of america know why or how to know if nosotros take it.

Although asbestos is about commonly institute in walls and ceilings, especially in insulation, it tin can be found in floor tiles too. These asbestos tiles aren't as harmful as insulation but they still pose a threat to our health.

What Are Asbestos Tiles?

Asbestos tiles are tiles that have asbestos in them. Unlike asbestos in walls or ceilings, asbestos tiles will not pose a health threat unless disturbed. Most people think that asbestos is a harmful substance that has always been known.

But asbestos was actually once thought to be safe and useful. Asbestos is a heat-resistant gristly silicate mineral that was used for decades earlier it was fully banned in the 1980s. So it'south not the new flooring tiles that pose a threat.

What Does Asbestos Tile Look Like?

Asbestos tin be very dangerous, causing lung problems in many people who accept been exposed to it. And then getting rid of it when you notice information technology is unremarkably the best matter to do. But how do you lot know when yous've constitute it?

The best way to discover out if tiles contain asbestos is to have them tested. The easiest way to practice this is to hire a professional to come up and test your tiles. Just the other option is the buy a test kit. Notwithstanding, you'll nonetheless have to mail the sample to a lab.

The kit though is much cheaper than hiring a professional. Buying the kit will fix yous back somewhere between $10 and $50, which is over half the price of getting a professional person to come to get together a sample.

In fact, even if you take an boosted $l lab fee to test the tile, it is much cheaper than a professional. A professional volition cost you a few hundred dollars, maybe more. Check local codes to ensure you lot don't have to hire i.

What Increases The Risks Of Asbestos Tiles

What causes asbestos? Intentional use of asbestos in construction. Simply what are the adventure factors in your home for asbestos tiles? Let's take a await at some signs that your floors have asbestos in them that needs to exist addressed.

Dwelling Built Pre-1980 – although the ban on asbestos began in the 1970s, there were however contractors lingering that used asbestos in the belatedly 1970s. However, most of information technology wasn't being used past the time the '70s rolled around.
Specific Sized – smaller tiles were less likely to have asbestos than large ones. So the 9, 12, and 18 inches ones were proven to have the most asbestos in them. So this is another small sign, though non a consistent one.
Oily Tiles – if your tile looks oily or has colored stains that don't look like people stains, then yous may demand to check for asbestos. This oily look is caused by the asphalt in asbestos breaking downward over the decades.
Black Adhesive – if yous accept a visual on the tile underside, you will come across a blackness adhesive that is near likely asbestos. Healthy adhesives will exist lighter grey in color or tan. So cheque the color if you lot tin run across information technology.

Asbestos Floor Tiles Removal

If you e'er commencement removing the asbestos tiles or if your tile is cracked, it's important to end removing it and so that the asbestos doesn't escape and crusade health bug for your family unit. Take care and follow these steps to do so.

Step i: Ready The Expanse And Yourself

Sweeping the floor that y'all are but going to make a mess of seems silly. Withal, there are a couple of reasons to do so. For one, it is nicer to kneel on, and for another, it is easier to meet what you are doing.

Now, it'due south fourth dimension to get set up. Put on a mask, goggles, long sleeves, and gloves. This is for your ain safety, so information technology is upwards to yous what you wearable but this will offer you the best protection. The most important function is the mask as asbestos causes bug if inhaled.

Stride ii: Loosen The Tiles

Using a masonry hammer and chisel, tap the pieces free. E'er habiliment safety glasses when removing ceramic tile. If y'all rented a jackhammer or another ability tool you lot can use information technology, only it can all be done with uncomplicated tools.

A grout saw can too practise a lot of practiced equally it volition get rid of the ground and make the tiles easy to peel up. At this indicate, nosotros're not removing the tiles but loosening them by removing the grout which will give u.s. a concur.

Step 3: Remove The Tile

Later on you lot remove the grout, vacuum it upwards, trying to get all of information technology you can to brand this next step easier. There are a few ways to pare the tile up. A chisel may work for pocket-size tiles, only a pry bar may be needed too.

This all depends on how old and how potent the mortar that's under the tiles is. If the tiles are too large, yous tin can score them with a scoring tool. This will assist y'all break them up. If all else fails, hammer the tiles, hard, to break them and then option up the pieces.

This isn't recommended because it is more dangerous and leaves a bigger mess, but at times information technology is necessary to go the task done.

Pace four: Remove The Mortar

This is the most abrasive and virtually difficult pace. You will use a hammer and chisel, unless y'all have power tools, to scrape abroad the mortar. This process is painstakingly slow in stubborn mortar jobs.

If the flooring is too stubborn, y'all can leave small pieces of mortar that are too stuck. But only if you are laying new tile downwards. Sand it downwardly equally well as you can and and so sweep the floor upward well, mopping when you are finished.

Optional: If your tile was stuck to an additional subfloor or underlayment, and then yous can just remove this layer and you won't accept to remove the mortar. Count yourself lucky if this is the case.

Other Types Of Asbestos Flooring

The skillful thing virtually other flooring options is that they rarely have asbestos. Floor tiles are one of the only floors that consistently used asbestos. The simply other flooring that needs to be checked for asbestos is linoleum.

That is, linoleum or another similar sheet flooring. Sometimes, these adhered to the subfloor with asbestos. So it's a good idea to check under this type of floor if it is was put in before 1980. Who wants onetime linoleum anyway?

Asbestos Wellness Concerns

I think it's important that we become more than in-depth on the dangers of asbestos. Because information technology's crucial that asbestos not be ignored, even if you lot don't remove information technology right abroad. Addressing the problem should always exist done.

Asbestos-Related Diseases

According to the CDC, "Breathing asbestos can cause tiny asbestos fibers to get stuck in the lungs and irritate lung tissues." Merely visualize that for a 2d and you volition want to get rid of it as soon every bit possible!

But if that isn't plenty, and so learning about these asbestos-related diseases merely might.

Asbestosis – asbestosis is a affliction caused merely past inhaling asbestos. It involves scarring in the lungs and is unique to this substance. The result is the inability of oxygen and carbon dioxide to pass in and out of the lungs. But don't worry, this is just caused by long exposure to asbestos at high levels. So the earlier yous catch the asbestos, the amend.
Pleural Affliction – Pleural disease is some other non-cancerous lung condition. In this affliction, the membrane surrounding the lungs and chest cavity changes becoming thicker and making it harder to breathe.
Lung Cancer – I'm sure you expected this i, but it's true. This cancerous tumor is not a good prognosis to go. While information technology is most often caused past smoking, it can be caused past the inhalation of asbestos in houses.
Mesothelioma – this cancer is a rare cancer of the membrane that covers the lungs and breast cavity. The prognosis for this can exist even worse than lung cancer and the details on this is quite morbid.

Leaving Asbestos Tiles Solitary

If you don't disturb the floor tiles and instead add new floor over them, the chances of the asbestos disturbing you are piffling to none. However, a lot of people can't deal with the thought of asbestos being there.

It'southward a proficient idea to talk to a professional if yous take concerns. Considering they will know whether you should embrace the tile or remove it. Sometimes information technology can be more unsafe to remove it because you are disturbing the asbestos.

So unless you lot are sure virtually your decision, at to the lowest degree hire a consultant to take a look at your asbestos tiles. It'southward always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to the health of your abode and your family.

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Source: https://www.homedit.com/asbestos-tiles/

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