No items found.
Throughout much of the 20th century, homes across the UK were kept warm thanks to asbestos insulation. However, as the health hazards associated with this fibrous mineral became more apparent, its use declined and it was eventually outlawed entirely in the UK in 1999.
Unfortunately, because asbestos was so popular for so long, your home or business property might still contain asbestos insulation, which could be putting you, or other building occupants at risk. In this blog post, we are going to review what asbestos insulation is, why it is dangerous, how to spot it, the legal requirements surrounding asbestos insulation and what to do if you find it in your property.
If you have already identified asbestos insulation in your property, or even think you have, avoid disturbing it and contact our professional team today on 0800 358 1110.
Asbestos itself is a naturally occurring mineral mined from below the earth’s surface. It was then processed into a huge range of different forms, from insulation to even clothing. Asbestos insulation can vary in its makeup, with some forms containing a blend of asbestos and other materials, and others being almost completely asbestos.
Health hazards aside, it was used so widely because it was cheap to produce, fire-resistant and highly insulative.
Asbestos is composed of millions of tiny fibres. When disturbed, these fibres can become airborne, before being inhaled by people and animals. Once in the inhaled, these fibres lodge themselves and begin to slowly agitate the inside of your lungs. Over time, often decades later, this can lead to the development of complex, life threatening conditions including mesothelioma and asbestosis.
Even today, a quarter of a century after asbestos was outlawed in the UK, it still kills around 5,000 people a year in Britain.
Asbestos insulation once came in a variety of different forms, including:
These were solid blocks of insulation that were glued to the inside of walls. In many cases, these were made of nearly pure asbestos. They can often be found in walls, floors and ceilings. Unfortunately, these boards can resemble other types of insulation, so the safest course of action if your home was built before the asbestos ban in 1999, is to assume that they do contain asbestos.
This is one of the most dangerous forms of asbestos insulation, and comes in two variations:
• Asbestos Air-Cell Insulation – This type of pipe insulation will resemble cardboard or paper, with an off-white or grey colour.
• Asbestos Wool Insulation – This fluffy-looking material was a very common form of insulation for pipes in all kinds of properties, and very often releases fibres as it ages, making it highly hazardous.
Much like pipe insulation, asbestos loose fill insulation is very dangerous, as its loose nature means fibres are very easily released and inhaled. If you have found loose fill asbestos insulation in your property, avoid it as best as possible and email our team now at info@emsgroupuk.com to discuss. Do not attempt to remove it yourself.
Loose fill insulation is usually fluffy looking and can be found in lofts as well as inside walls.
Usually grey and lumpy in appearance, spray-on insulation was usually applied directly to ceilings and composed almost entirely of asbestos. Like many forms of asbestos insulation, it can be fairly innocuous unless disturbed.
Vermiculite is a naturally occurring material much like asbestos and is even mined in the same way from the same locations. However, this proximity means that many vermiculate products, including vermiculite insulation can contain asbestos, although not all. Because of the potential health hazards, it is always safest to assume that vermiculite insulation contains asbestos until proven otherwise through thorough asbestos surveys. The insulation itself resembles small, brown rocks or chips and is usually found in walls and lofts.
If you would like to learn more about identifying asbestos, check out our blog post on ‘What does asbestos look like?’.
In domestic properties, there are no legal requirements to identify or manage asbestos. But failing to do so can put you and your family in harm’s way.
In commercial properties or shared, rented domestic properties, it is the responsibility of the duty holder to properly identify and manage asbestos containing materials (ACMs) in accordance with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. The duty holder is usually defined as the building owner, operator or manager. Identifying and managing ACMs involves regular asbestos management surveys, for more information see our blog on ‘Asbestos reports for commercial properties’.
Firstly, do not disturb it. Keep your distance and cordon off the area if you can. Secondly, contact the professionals and request an asbestos survey. As well as asbestos management surveys, they can offer sampling of the material in question or alternative surveys such as asbestos demolition surveys and asbestos refurbishment surveys if required.
A professional asbestos surveyor should also be able to advise on the best next steps, whether that is removal or ongoing management.
If you’re unsure whether you are looking at asbestos insulation or not, assess the age of your property. If it was built before 1999, then you may well have asbestos insulation. If it was built after that point, then your property shouldn’t contain any ACMs of any kind, but is not impossible.
At EMS, we have been helping domestic, retail and commercial clients up and down the UK with their asbestos insulation concerns since 2003. We offer expert, accredited asbestos surveys throughout the UK with offices in Hereford, Worcester, Cardiff & London.
We can help you accurately determine whether your property contains asbestos insulation and provide practical next steps to safely manage the situation. To book your asbestos survey today, call us on now 0800 358 1110, email us at info@emsgroupuk.com or fill out our contact form here.
In all cases, we strongly recommend seeking expert help for asbestos insulation removals.
You can do your best to identify the various forms using the information in this blog post, but the best indicator is the age of your property. If it was built before 1999, it is safest to assume that it contains asbestos. If it was built after that point, it shouldn’t contain any. This is because asbestos use was completely outlawed in the UK in 1999.
The cost to remove asbestos insulation will vary depending on the size of your property, how easy it is to access and the type of insulation present. The best way to get an accurate quote for your asbestos insulation removal is to speak to a reputable provider like EMS.
BACK TO NEWS