Common Locations for Asbestos in Buildings

Asbestos was once extremely common in construction materials and can be found throughout homes built during the 20^th century. Its use as a thermal material made it excellent for a wide variety of insulating uses whilst it was also able to be added to a variety of other materials to increase durability and strength including decorative coatings, cement and bakelite.

Common areas it can be found include:

• Boiler insulation 
• Pipe insulation
• Wall, loft and ceiling insulation
• Flooring
• Plasterboards 
• Ceiling tiles 
• Textured ceiling coatings 
• Paint 
• Electrical insulation in fuse boxes etc. 
• Water tanks 
• Garage roofs and walls 
• Gutters 
• Roofing tiles 
• Roofing felt 
• Toilet cisterns 
• Bath panels 
• Old telephones 
• Storage heaters 
• Around the fireplace 

What Should You Do if You Find Asbestos in a Property?

If you suspect materials within a property contain asbestos it is important to have the area professionally surveyed or sampled by a competent asbestos surveyor.

If the property is owned by you: 

1. Avoid disturbing the material or area and keep pets and other occupants away if possible 
2. Contact a professional asbestos surveyor to sample the materials for analysis at a UKAS accredited laboratory
3. Your surveyor will then issue a report with recommendations based on the findings which can include actions such as removal, depending on the level of risk.

If you are considering buying: 

1. Ask the owner for permission to conduct an asbestos survey (they are not obliged to allow this or to conduct one for you) 
2. The surveyor will conduct their assessment and issue you with a report on the location and type of any asbestos found and recommendations

Does a building survey look for asbestos?

A general building survey will not specifically look for asbestos. The surveyor may indicate areas where asbestos is likely, but they are not qualified to say for certain and cannot conduct the laboratory analysis to provide any proof. These surveys are helpful for assessing the general condition of the structure of a building.

What Does an Asbestos Surveyor Do?

An asbestos surveyor will focus solely on locating asbestos in the property. They will conduct a visual inspection to identify any possible ACMs before taking samples for laboratory analysis. Your surveyor will then issue you with a detailed report, listing the location and type of any ACMs as well as any recommended remediation based on the level of risk.

Checking for Asbestos in Your Property

The most accurate and safest way to check your property, or one you are hoping to buy, for asbestos is to arrange an asbestos survey. This way, you get the insight and recommendations of a trained, experienced specialist using scientific analysis. 

At EMS, we have been conducting asbestos surveys in Hereford, Worcester, Cardiff and throughout the UK for more than two decades. We can help you assess a property for asbestos and offer a range of asbestos management services including surveys, removal or management.

Book your asbestos survey today by calling 0800 358 1100, emailing info@emsgroupuk.com or filling in our contact form.

FAQs

Is my property too new to contain asbestos?

Asbestos use was banned in the UK in 1999, so any properties built after that date should not contain asbestos of any kind.