Of course, if you tried to buy building materials today, you would not find asbestos in any form, as the use of this naturally-found material is banned in Australia and most of the developed world. Yet if your home was built prior to the 19070s, there is a chance that asbestos could be used in some of the materials. Here are some of the building materials that might contain asbestos.
- Felt roofing – Asbestos used to be included in the make-up of felt roofing, due to its unique fire-resistant properties. This is not a danger once installed if left undisturbed, but should you remove roofing felt that contains asbestos, the harmful slivers will become airborne
- Composite Sheeting – Compressed composites are used in the manufacture or construction sheeting and there could be a chance that asbestos was mixed into this material.
- Pipe Lagging – Asbestos is present in some forms of pipe insulation and if that insulation is removed, you could be exposing yourself to asbestos. Asbestos is combined with other materials due to the good thermal insulation properties it provides.
- Building Adhesives – There are certain building adhesives that contain asbestos, such as roofing sealant, duct tape and furnace sealant. Cement that is used for fixing wall and floor tiles might also contain traces of asbestos.
- Asbestos Vinyl Products – Sheet flooring and tiles, plus rolls of vinyl washable wallpaper, although no products of today would contain asbestos. If you are planning to renovate your old kitchen, it is a good idea to give asbestos removal services in Perth a call and have them carry out a test to determine the presence of asbestos.
- Electrical Components – Certain electrical parts might contain asbestos, such as cable wraps, electrical shielding, flash-guard paper and wire insulation. This should be noted when you are renovating and removing old building materials and if in doubt, don’t take any chances, rather call in an asbestos specialist to test for the presence of asbestos.
Australia banned the use of asbestos in the 1980s and any property built before that time could contain asbestos; there is an entire industry dedicated to removing asbestos and it is hoped that one day, this harmful substance will be removed from every single structure.
Building Renovations
As mentioned, asbestos presents no danger once it is installed and only presents a danger when it is disturbed, so if you are thinking of renovating any room in the house, take a look at the materials you need to remove.
