I've Got Asbestos in My Home
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- Опубликовано: 9 июн 2024
- How I discovered I've got Asbestos in My Home, how I tested it to find out what it was and what I'm going to do now.
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0:00 Introduction
0:22 Background
1:25 Testing Kit
2:04 Sampling
2:34 Asbestos in our homes
6:11 Subscribe to Me!
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USEFUL LINKS:
- Types of Asbestos merryhill.co.uk/types-of-asbe...
- Introduction to Asbestos www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/intro...
- A Guide to Asbestos - from The Mesothelioma Centre (who reached out to me after watching this video) www.asbestos.com/exposure/home/
TODAY'S TOOLKIT:
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#asbestos #home #sampling 
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Its horrible stuff I'm a spark & I'm sure when I was a lad cutting in fan grills in house soffit I probably have been exposed to it & my dad is currently in hospital with it in his lungs from the ship yards one lung doesn't work now & his other one is not much better😞don't take any unnecessary risks people!!!! Grate video Charlie to highlight the danger 👏
What do u do when u enter a house that might have asbestos ? Do u do a test before you start any work
Hi Charlie, great awareness boosting video, as in honesty knowledge of asbestos is really very low in the wider population. I work as a handyman and was asked recently by an estate agent to quote on repairing damage to a ceiling that had artex on it. As the property was early 1900’s it’s a safe bet that the rates was applied pre-2000 and therefore may contain asbestos. When I raised this with the estate agent and advised an asbestos test was performed I was greeted with blank looks! There are some great online asbestos awareness courses available for under £20 and I’d encourage every keen diy-er or tradesperson to undertake one. But my point is it’s not only diy-ers that lack this knowledge, shocking that an estate agent is completely unaware!
Thanks Darren. I appreciate that and thanks for sharing your story. I'm afraid that doesn't surprise me. Estate agents tend to be after maximum throughput of work to maximise their commissions. Asbestos would represent a tedious irritation to a lot of them.
It's interesting that I see people apparently suffer from mesothelioma after "just one exposure". I had an exposure from being present when my friend accidentally drilled through some asbestolux boarding a couple of years ago. I'm 45 and if I develop mesothelioma in the next few decades, I'd more likely put it down to the heatproof mats the bunsen burners sat on at school (chipped corners and all mashed into a pile at the end of the lessons), brake pads, clutches, ironing boards, the terrapin huts at school which blew clouds of asbestos insulation dust into the air whenever anybody slammed a door. We definitely owe it to ourselves to take great care to avoid this stuff at all costs but, given we have *all* been exposed to it almost constantly through our lives, a single exposure isn't worth losing any sleep over if you were in a school in the 70s and 80s in my opinion.
That's a very good point, well made, and I agree, like you I'm sure I've been exposed over the years. I've definitely had classes in those huts and no doubt used bunsen burners on the mats. 👊
Exactly this, it was everywhere, I can remember using a wire brush to clean off brake dust on old callipers on my first cars back in the 80s, the next one will be fibre glass.
About a year ago we bought a 1950s house. Having come into contact with Asbestos in the past a couple of times I got an asbestos survey carried out and the surveyor told me our house should have been used for training surveyors as there were so many suspect materials. He took 30+# different samples whilst many came back negative the weirdest one that was asbestos was our toilet cistern!
We had it all removed professionally but I still find some to this day where it had been used as packers for window cills and door linings.
Yeah black toilet cistern and even toilet seats containing Amosite were very common, quite a lot from ex council properties and schools, we still get a few every month to analyse
Blimey. Good work having the forethought to get it tested though Steve.
Heard of it but never came across it until we bought our first home, also our surveyor stated he couldn't see any (it's a 1960's house) but in hindsight paying 500 quid for 20 minutes work, I would've thought an expert could tell the differentce between domestos and asbestos. Even the water tank used to be asbestos.
As you're not someone who has worked in a factory or in the trade dealing with asbestos as a job I'd say you're at very very low risk of any health issues, considering your short exposure from the couple of things you've done, and especially your vigilance with wearing the mask during actual cutting itself. Thanks for the great video and for pointing out the dangers to help people.
Agreed. My uncle died of exposure but he worked at the docks with it when it was in a powered form that used to be thrown at one another for a lark. 😟
Good video, informative, thanks Charlie
Thanx for the heads up!
You're welcome. Thanks for your the comment. 👊
This video on asbestos, DIY, testing, etc., has a nice measured tone. For anyone living in a home built before 1990 (US), there's a good possibility that some building material contained asbestos. Putting "asbestos timeline" into Thee Googles is pretty interesting, if not
infuriating. Over the years, I've lived in and worked on old homes ranging from 1898-the 70s, mostly in Chicago, but also in San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, etc. The stuff was used in "everything". I used to be much more cavalier about wearing PPE and still am, though to a much lesser extent. For Eg., if I'm working on an old home and need to drill/cut through walls or floors where there is a pretty good chance of asbestos in some layer (often many layers from the original construction and subsequent remodeling) or removing old elec. wiring, I don't put on a respirator, etc. Mostly because it's not the foremost in my mind. However, when I get into anything that is going to kick up a lot of dust or in an attic or crawlspace where dust, mold, old insulation (asbestos or other), I put on a full 3M NIOSH respirator with N95 filters. and run a 'shop vac' with a quality filter, and usually leave it running to suck up as much of the dust in the air as possible. (A good pair of ear protection headphones or 3M industrial earplugs is also a good idea, as are safety goggles that seal around the eyes). You can get kitted out for $100 (a hunnert quid for you Limeys :) ). It's worth the money, don't skip on it and use a 'dust mask'.
I have a somewhat dim/cynical view of all the professional testing/abatement services that have sprung up for residential as they are very expensive for the initial inspection and for the remediation. Some are much less scrupulous than ohers and will upsell (hard) on homeowners to do a full removal of all asbestos (or mold, etc.) by playing on people's fears and/or ignorance. Getting a test kit is a great first step, and then researching adequate measures to take for DIY is a great way to figure out what you are dealing with and whether or not you can DIY adequately. At least you will have some knowledge if/when deciding to hire a service.
Thank you for highlighting a very important issue.
You're welcome. 👊
Great video !!! Thanks
That corner you clipped off the panel reminds me of the wire mesh and asbestos grids we sat above bunsen burners in chemistry practical classes at school and university in 1960s and 1970s.
Yes, good memory. Oof, the stuff was everywhere 😬👊
Great video as ever Charlie. Luckily for me you always seem to be a few weeks ahead of what I'm doing to my Victorian house. I'll get the kit to test the artex, thanks.
Thanks Philip. Glad to hear it. 👊
Asbestos anxiety is no joke Charlie, I hope you havent had too much worry and sleepless nights. Its defo not talked about enough. We should discuss its dangers as much as smoking, damp, subsidence, etc. Its scary stuff. Wishing you well.
My older brother was exposed to asbestos when he was younger, working in construction and he now has a Mesothelioma. He’s stable at the moment with stage 4 cancer and he’s taking a new drug which is immunotherapy drug and is helping him a lot… I remember when I moved from my last home, a home that was built in 1965, ex council house. I took up the old carpet in the living room, and there was black vinyl underneath, and towards the edges of the room a lot of the black vinyl became brittle and broke into pieces. I removed them and filled the gaps with Polyfilla to make the floor flat for re carpeting. I just watched a video earlier and it said asbestos can be found in black vinyl in older houses… Also, I have a condensation issue in my home, a home that was built in 1930, which has rendered brick on the outside, made from solid walls, but a new kitchen extension in recent years which is made with cavity walls. After having a damp survey for peace of mind, I decided I will replace my concrete air bricks with plastic air brick sleeves and not paint over them because most of my concrete air bricks are below the block paving and it’s allowing rainwater and dampness to seep in. Inside the house in my cupboard under the stairs I have my gas boiler there and my smart meters but the plaster on the brick wall has peeled off and I can see salt deposits there, and it’s part of an exterior wall because it’s a semi detached house which has the air bricks outside below the block paving. So the damp surveyor recommends I hack off the bottom of the plaster back to the brickwork on the inside and put a skirting board over it to allow the brickwork to breathe, re painting the above with ordinary white emulsion paint. In my living room, on the same exterior wall as the cupboard under my staircase, I have drywall’s there which are dot and dab. I have to remove the bottom part of the skirting board and hack the plaster back to the brickwork, before placing a new skirting board over it, and redecorating the drywall above and repainting the new skirting board below. Unfortunately, nothing is ever straight forward Charlie, is it. Thanks for uploading the video, and I hope your diligence has helped you avoid any potential hazards with asbestos in your home. I’m just worried when hacking the plaster back to brickwork, or removing the skirting board below in my living room, I may need to go higher up the wall, past the skirting board below, removing part of the dot and dab drywall above the skirting board to make sure the wall drys out properly. I’m also worried I don’t encounter any asbestos but the damp surveyor believes I don’t have asbestos in my home, but maybe for peace of mind beforehand I might get a asbestos survey carried out.
My Dad was a mechanic and also contracted Mesothelioma. Unfortunately for him it was too late for any treatment and he died two years ago. It was a really grim way to go.
@@chrissavill8713 I’m sorry to hear about your Dad passing away two years ago. I’m 51 years old now, and I lost my Dad to Leukaemia when I was 15 yrs old. My older brother is 61 yrs old, and is a twin. Thankfully, because he’s always kept fit most of his life, going to the gym and eating relatively healthy, as well as, fortunately, having access to a new immunotherapy drug, the doctor has been surprised how my brother has coped with his cancer so far, when he was in a really bad way a few months ago when undergoing chemotherapy. During that time the cancer was spreading rapidly, but since stopping the chemo and continuing with the immunotherapy drug the cancer spread has slowed down, and reduced in some places, even though my brothers cancer had recently gone from stage 2 to stage 4. My brother told me they won’t cure me, and eventually I will die from the cancer but at least the drugs I’m taking, and my brothers stubbornness to try his best, on his best days to go to the gym has helped extend his life for as long as possible. In mainland Europe they have access to the full range of immunotherapy drugs, but in the U.K. patients are only given one type, due to how expensive these drugs are.
So sorry to hear about your brother. It sounds like he's fighting a wonderfully valiant battle. 👊 No nothing is straight forward! I suspect if there was asbestos in the vinyl it would have been non friable and therefore very low risk. On the damp, sounds like a good approach. A guy on my Discord forum has just stripped off some Zinsser paint from a wall that is damp beneath. He thought he had an underlying leak but since he stripped it, the damp has dried out which suggests the paint was preventing it from drying out. Shows the importance of breathability.
Thanks for the video =)
Thank you for increasing awareness of the dangers of asbestos. Very minor thing but chrysotile is pronounced cry-so-tile.
Thoughtful public service - thanks for sharing. 👍
You are a DIY guru 🤙🏿🤙🏿🤙🏿
Hi Charlie - Just a small pointer for you... it is always a good idea to dampen the material you are planning to sample. The sample collected on your video could have been removed in a more safe manner - but perhaps that wasn't detailed in the testing kit? You could dampen the material - or use a wet wipe lining the inside of your pincers and place the wet wipe over the corner of the board you are sampling. Another method is to place duct tape over the corner you are planning to sample and break within the duct taped area. Any of these additional measures will help to reduce the amount for fibres becoming airborne. x
Thanks. No that wasn't suggested but makes perfect sense. 👌
I worked for a company that ripped out old buildings to replace and renovate, this was years ago, I know for a fact we broke up this stuff without any understanding or idea of the risks, the company did not seem to care or really understand either, god only knows what we inhaled, it’s frightening.
Great to bring this to peoples attention. We removed some garage roof panels ourselves with PPE and keeping them wet as we were able to do so without disturbing them but have since seen cement board in our eves which we will get a test for. We Also recently found we have "pitch fibre" waste pipes which are in a poor state. We plan to replace them all but are currently assuming they may include asbestos as well so will test these to. We had never heard if this pipe but since found it is a ticking bomb under houses built between 1950 and 1970.
Thanks and great work with the way you're tackling yours. 👊
Hi Charlie, I worked for the MOD in the early 1970’s and I worked in a store that had asbestos and we had to cut it into lengths and ship it out to various ships to use as a lagging for pipes. We had a large pair of scissors to cut the asbestos and the bench where we cut it was always dusty with asbestos dust. Roll on the years and I started to have breathing problems, I also need a pacemaker fitting and although I need one urgently, they are reluctant to put me under anaesthetic use to my lung health, so it looks as if I have a double whammy of problems. There is a list of people who have been in contact with asbestos and although it cannot help if you are infected it does move thing alone if you are diagnosed with the problem. If you do remove it yourself (something I would advise against) make sure that it is very wet at all times
Hi John, good to hear from you. I'm so sorry to hear about the health problems you're battling with. Very sound advice. It's tempting to try and remove it myself because of the money I'd save but I won't be taking that risk. You take care and I hope you find a way to get that pace maker fitted. 👊
Just wanted to say thank you.
Thanks Cindy 🙏
Good video. Sadly, I lost a work colleague to asbestos in his lungs. He used to work on submarines in the dockyard, fitting them out, and he used a lot of asbestos in the engine room without PPE ever being used.
So sorry to hear that. It's terrible that so little precautions were taken but I guess there just wasn't the awareness.
Just buying and have to try and get rid of it
People tend to forget, it was also used in Brake Linings, Clutch Plates and Gaskets. So lots of people have been exposed in one form or another.
Textured coating is one of the most common material types inside the house that people don't realise could contain asbestos id say over half we test come back positive with asbestos
@@Capricorn_IV Yes, Artex and Anaglypta Wallpaper. Also Insulation, Wiring Covering, Toliet Seats, the list is large.
Well done Charlie, excellent video. Interestingly there is no consistent national policy which local authorities follow for DIY asbestos disposal. In Hampshire for example their policy is ‘Small amounts of cement bonded asbestos sheet (no more than 15 sheets size 1200mm x 600mm) can be taken to one of five Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) licensed to receive this type of hazardous waste. No other type of asbestos is allowed.’ And they charge £12 per sheet!
Thanks Norman. Crazy isn't it. Whereas ours will take it all for free provided it's double bagged. 👊
My father died of asbestosis at 75 years old. Apparently he probably came into contact with some asbestos dust in a factory he worked in back in the 60's when they replaced the heating pipe insulation & it was probably the one & only time he came into contact with it. A case wrong place at the wrong time I guess but it is really bad stuff.
On the flip side my father-in-law worked in the heating industry in the 60's & regularly used asbestos to lag pipes in boiler houses. He died of other causes & nothing to do with asbestos.
There are two sides to every coin but you can't be too careful with this stuff or any other airborne dust particles.
Are you sure you mean asbestosis not mesothelioma, incredibly rare to get asbestosis from short term exposure unless it’s extremely high concentration
@@jamiejosh96 Asbestosis was on the death certificate so that's what we were all told was the reason. After being diagnosed & before passing he struggled to remember where he could have come into contact with it. He was in the RAF during the WWII in India & then in a factory for the best part of 30 odd years before retiring. This info was needed for a financial claim form & for some sort of Asbestos database.
My grandfathers brother died last year due to complications from inhaling asbestos. He helped renovate a house in the 70s. He was very sick and had problems breathing towards the end.
@@hasselnttper3730renovated one house. Unlikely the only time he came in contact with it. If he worked in construction or other type commercial contract work he probably came I'm contact with it more. Highly unlikely one job did it. Possible but unless the air was thick dkr a couple days where his lungs got overburdened its ot very likely that a few days exposure did it. It usually takes years of heavy exposure
Informated stuff. I would b grateful if you or some body els give me some opinion. I am very disturbed for few days. I have a garage with corrugated asbestos roof. It had a moss on it stopping rain water to flow. Few days ago I removed moss with very little scraping by long conduit pipe while standing on ladder. After disingaging moss, I sweeped it with stiff brush and thrown down on ground while standing on the roof. Finally I collected all moss with brush on ground and put in a bag. During is process I have been wearing mask P2, my mormal vision glasses, hat and work clothes. I did this job on dry day without making it wet. Now browsing and reading other people talks on this topic, I am very confused and worried if I am not exposed to asbestos fiber though I did very little scraping?
New one for me - we had to replace some pitch fibre pipes before we could buildover, because it's a public sewer. Had them tested before cutting and they contained white asbestos. Double bagged and then disposed of by a waste contracter.
We just found pitch fibre pipes under our home which we are extending, we plan to get them tested. I am hoping they are a lower risk to remove as the fibres are stuck together with the coal tar but we still need to find the best solution to get rid of them safely.
Fingers crossed 🤞
Good video to raise the profile of this danger lurking in pre-2000 buildings (after 2000, asbestos was banned, so the chance of having any is much, much less - albeit maybe not zero). I didn’t realise you could get home test kits. As others have said, I don’t think your exposure will have been that high and so I think any risk to you will be minimal. It was older guys that worked with the stuff day in and day out that developed the issues later in life. Sadly we discovered it’s dangers all too late for them. Looking forward to more videos Charlie. Keep up the good work. 👍🏼😃
Thanks Paul, great to hear from you and thanks for that. Let's hope so! Yes, lots of vids in the pipeline. Need to get the kitchen renovation back on track. 👊
Although The Asbestos (Prohibitions) (Amendment) Regulations 1999, came into force 24th Nov 1999 as you cite, there were still wider asbestos legislation that HAD NOT.
Feb 2002 to be exact ... was a real big industry change with legislation implementation schedule was brought forward about 5 years & caught some in the industry unawares (or they didnt care or pay attention enough to industry development).
But note, Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002 did not come into force completely until Nov 2004.
But just in case, any house built in period post 2000 up to Feb 2002 when element of work was carried out could still have asbestos although should of been phased out, including lower risk level items like Artex (as was still available or could be available in Feb 2002).
In short, people should REGARD ANYTHING PROIR to 2005 as having some degree potential (mainly more obscure items in later years).
@@designcoordinationmanageme3177 spot on! 👍🏼
My house was built in 1995, i had a full asbestos survey carried out and there was no asbestos present. It would be suprising if asbestos was used as late as 1999
I wouldn't worry too much. My grandma says she grew up near an Abestos factory and piles of dust would form by the side of the road which had fallen off the lorries. She and her friends would play in it! 😮 Anyway she's just turned 90.
Also with the double bagging - I had to dispose of some not long ago that was too big to fit in 1 bag. I therefore cut two refuse bags open and ducktaped them together then ducked taped it all shut (wearing head to toe PPE which also got thrown away). Then did the same again to double bag it.
Your grandma played in piles of dust? I'm going to call bullshit on this one. Tales of someone near asbestos not getting asbestosis or mesothelioma do not counteract instances of someone getting it. This just dilutes the incidence ratio. Asbestos can kill so treat this video seriously and follow the advice. Keep yourself on the safe side.
You don't need to cut it. I bought 2 heavy plastic sheets, cant remember the gsm. About £40 in the end. Then wrap up and quack tape the seems. Then repeat for double bagging. The local tip even helped me carry it. In the end I think the plastic weighed more than the sheet. Simple
👍👍👍Thank you.
Good video Charlie. As an aussie living in the UK for the last 15 years, I've been surprised at the general lack of awareness of asbestos over this side of the pond. In Aus, most DIY'ers and tradies are very aware of asbestos and the health risks associated. Good to see a rational video on the subject on a UK DIY channel
Thanks Phillip. Yes, I agree. Not nearly enough awareness over here.
Unfortunately there have been cases of modern materials in Australia containing asbestos coming from China. Perhaps it’s happening in the uk as well but hasn’t been picked up. As you say, most people don’t seem aware / bothered in the UK.
@@garethwynn01 Yeah. I think there's a good middle ground to be found somewhere between the two. Aussies seem take the whole asbestos thing a bit too far, in the UK many don't even know/bother about it. A practical, common sense approach can be implemented by most people to dispose of it safely without it costing them an arm and a leg
My garage contained white asbestos and the HSE has a great leaflet on how to remove and dispose of it. I dismantled the garage and paid a firm to remove it.
Thanks David. Good work getting rid of that 👊
I have used one of these testing kits before. I was testing some old corrugated roof sheets, which commonly had asbestos in them. They did not contain Asbestos but when I went to dispose of them the tip wouldn't take them. As despite having the test results there was no proof that the material I was bringing was the material tested. I had no choice but go through the hassle of breaking it up and double bagging it for disposal.
Makes sense. Glad it didn't have asbestos in though.
As my previous comment went to the great dustbin in the sky. I just like to point out that getting rid of the stuff is not plane sailing if you just want a company to pick it up sheet material that you have on your property , kind regards as always
What happened to your previous comment? It's a fair point. They're not going to want to just pick that up. I'll have to get them to remove the cellar ceiling at the same time.
Back in the 80's when life was simpler, I remember renovating a very old property lined with asbestos boards. The telephone advice then was to soak them, cut them out with a hand saw and leave them outside for a couple of Council workers with zero PPE to pop them onto an open bed truck several days later. The actual risk of mesothelioma hasn't changed since and I greatly suspect back then there was a more realistic approach to risk. Asbestos insulation in shipyards and storage heaters is a very different thing.
Yes I agree. They were good, those simpler times. 👊
Or, much more likely, the hazards weren't as well known and concerns for safety were much more lax.
Life wasn't simpler. We were just more ignorant.
Absolutely bang on Charlie, my dad had breathing problems all his life and eventually died from the exposure he had to asbestos as a young man. I see there are a few naysayers in the comments, but come on guys, why take any unnecessary risks?👽it's just not worth it.
Indeed, many many people get lucky with it, but sadly as you found out, it's very random who doesn't... risk is not worth it if avoidable indeed. But also, I'd encourage people not to panic over a small one time exposure, just take more care in future, and Fred, so sorry to hear about your dad :(
Some people are more susceptible to it than others.
It's disgusting how governments around the world, despite knowing the dangers allowed it to be used in housing materials.
Hi just watch your video my property is rented the survey report has put down that it has found theses type of asbestos in the property below.
Crocidolite Asbestos
Amosite Asbestos
Chrysotile Asbestos
Just wondering are theses bad for your health?
As I always get an irritable throat in the property.
Hi Charlie. Thanks so much for this. Scary stuff! I'm busy painting the outside of my 1930s end of terrace and so I'm already using your other super helpful posts on dealing with cracks . Now I have reached an outside vent, A flue and it looks like asbestos. I'm happy to leave it in situ but can I paint it it? Its covered in crud and mould... so would need washing down...
I think you probably could. But put a good mask on when you clean it and be gentle so as not to degrade the surface of it. But as long as you're not scrubbing/ wire brushing it, you should be fine.
@@CharlieDIYteThanks Charlie I really appreciate you responding.
I shouldn't worry about it, I have heard many Asbestos horror stories off people who lived to be a wipe old age and died of something different. People used to saw it in science class at school and such, car brakes were made of it. A friends relative used to saw it all the time as part of his job and is still alive in his late 80's. It is dangerous, but its hit and miss who it gets I think, lots of factors involved.
It might be worth distinguishing between asbestos insulation board, which is what you appear to have, and is much more friable, and asbestos-cement board, which is cement bound, and much more stable. AC boards are typically used for older profiled garage roofs and industrial cladding, (including fake roof slates) and typically are unlikely to form a hazard unless cut/ sawn.
The softer insulation boards, however, are much more likely to release fibres, as you observed. I would not recommend removing that other than by professionals, under any circumstances - the exposure which can lead to Mesothelioma is scarily small, if you are unlucky.
You can paint over the AC boards to reduce the risk of fibre emission, and they are generally OK to leave until they need to be replaced.
Also worth mentioning that Asbestos-cement was used in some external soil stacks, usually painted black, and easily confused with cast iron, just by appearance. Easily punctured by a Dynorod, too, as I know from Professional experience - architect, not plumber!
Thanks, that's a very good point. I had a section on friable/ non friable but didn't put it in as I thought it was too much detail for some people but actually it's an important part of the discussion so I wish I had left it. I agree. I won't be risking doing the removal. I'll have to empty the entire room which will be a massive pain, and get someone in to do it. 👊
There is a non asbestos version called superlux which looks almost identical to AIB
Informated stuff. I would b grateful if you or some body els give me some opinion. I am very disturbed for few days. I have a garage with corrugated asbestos roof. It had a moss on it stopping rain water to flow. Few days ago I removed moss with very little scraping by long conduit pipe while standing on ladder. After disingaging moss, I sweeped it with stiff brush and thrown down on ground while standing on the roof. Finally I collected all moss with brush on ground and put in a bag. During is process I have been wearing mask P2, my mormal vision glasses, hat and work clothes. I did this job on dry day without making it wet. Now browsing and reading other people talks on this topic, I am very confused and worried if I am not exposed to asbestos fiber though I did very little scraping?
Lab testing that I use is £95+VAT!! and that's supposedly a trade discount!! 😅
Had an offer accepted on my first house. I say 'my' but I don't own it. Anyway, it appears to have asbestos in places. Are you able to show how and what you used to seal the asbestos?
Couple of things I can add. 1. I have it in my airing cupboard and (likely in covered up) artex ceilings. 2. The guy who came to do the tests scraped it without PPE and without a care which left me confused as to its danger. 3. Local builders tell me it’s no more dangerous than any other mineral dust like brick.. it has a bad rep spreading fear. 4. There are so many rogue traders operating as asbestos removers who will possibly remove and make a mess leaving dust in the air which is just petrifying. So yeah.. I try not to worry because it’s no worse than any other brick dust but I’m scared to have it removed. Appreciate any vids like this thanks
A lot of cowboys in the asbestos industry, best to take sample yourself, follow all procedures and get it analysed by a reputable asbestos lab, don't use a testing kit as you don't know if the lab they send it to is any good
Agree, I had an estimate from an asbestos removal company based in Eastbourne, glad I checked them out before booking them in, very dodgy operation. A lot of them are like that, and hide behind incredibly slick well designed websites full of stock photos and fake testimonials. You have to be so careful.
I'm afraid those builders told you wrong. Asbestos is very dangerous indeed.
I used to work for a local authority and asbestos courses were mandatory and lasted a day every year.
Some of the things they told us were heartbreaking. Teachers getting mesothelioma from putting pins in noticeboards children and wives getting it from their fathers overalls. Horrible stuff, esp the blue and brown.
Eeeeesh, follow the data/empirical evidence, not the "feelings" of these people.
It takes decades for the effects to show up.
My aunt died from it 30 years after her husband worked with it in a General Motors' brake manufacturing site.
She never went to the factory- she got it from washing his clothes when he came home.
My Dad who has since passed worked with asbestos in the day. He was diagnosed with asbestosis as it was then called. It causes scarring on the lungs and because it stays in-situ it continues to scar. This was the non curly type.
So sorry to hear that but thank you for sharing, to spread awareness of this terrible disease. 👊
I removed my cement asbestos garage ceiling few years ago (blue asbestos) I was super cautious and when I arrived at my recycling centre they told me that it was max 10 bags...I had 30...after a bit of negotiation they agreed to take it, particularly after I told them I would not want put them back in my car. I had quote for specialised companies who all told me to do it myself as the price was very high (because of their insurance). Brown asbestos is very dangerous so you are right to be careful Charlie 👍
Really blue? Did you test it. Very rare to find blue in ac
@@jamiejosh96 actually you are right. My mistake. White asbestos or chrysotile. I had it tested by a professional company.
We had asbestos ceiling in our house. I paid a group to remove it all and put up brand new ceiling throughout the house.
Best money I've spent just for piece of mind! However, the ceiling looks far better having being totally replaced and painted.
I agree, that was money so well spent. We had artex in my old place in London. We boarded over it. So glad I didn't try and scrape it off.
I think asbestos is a lot like smoking. Some people can get away with it and others aren't so lucky. I agree it's best to wear PPE but I don't think a small amount is something to fret over.
Not at all, nobody gets cancer from smoking from one exposure. Unlike asbestos
You are absolutely wrong in your thinking. Asbestos is like a splinter that will never come out. So maybe a few small ones don’t kill you and maybe your particular body can isolate it so something else kills you before the asbestos does but you should absolutely not underestimate how dangerous asbestos is even if the UK government does and has done for decades.
@jamiejosh96 I don't believe one off exposure is going to kill most people otherwise, we would have stopped using it alot sooner.
Never break up boards. These should be double bagged in 1000 gauge polythene sheeting. Good video :)
Thanks - I'll do that. The sheet is still sat outside my garage right now. 👊
Join the club!!
Sorry to hear that Shaun.
It's in loads of places in this ~1975 house. Artex, soil stack, guttering, soffit boards, (old) water tanks in the loft and vinyl tiles. Frustratingly(!!) I only realised that the strange vinyl tiles I lifted up were asbestos years later when I read about it and then had them and the artex tested.
Those tiles are relatively harmless due to the fibres being bound up in the rest of the material in the tiles.
@@TheChipmunk2008 Good to know, thanks! They mostly came up whole but there would have been lots of debris and dust from sweeping it all up though. Doh.
@@Paul-XCIV2 We have them in our 1960s bungalow, not sure if yours are the same, but these are dark brown tiles, which are a filler (asbestos) mixed with an asphalt derivative, famous for making the house smell vaguely like there's a gas leak, delightful! Had to remove all ours for new tiling in the kitchen/bathroom, was a fun job! The dust will likely just have been crumbled tile, not loose fibres :)
Out of interest, what part of the soil stack contains asbestos?
@@mikeromeo All of it I believe, it's asbestos fibre cement, same as the guttering.
We discovered that the entire length of the ceiling of our church was sprayed Chrysotile for acoustic reasons. It was removed approximately 25 years ago.
The specialist contractors pronounced it cry-so-tile, not chris-o-tile!
Yep that's probably right. Good memory.
Not read all the comments, hopefully some has already commented on the following.
A mask isn't good enough, the fibers can attach to your clothing. I've heard many a tail of wives washing clothes of asbestos working and being contaminated. Fully covered is required and correct disposal of anything that might have come into contact with it, is a must. Shaving foam is a good way of capturing the particles if drilling. Though I'd honestly say, if in doubt get it checked out. Any property after 2000 will be free from asbestos.
True that at least one wife contracted asbestos disease from husband dusty overalls, BUT the husband worked full on in very dusty asbestos setting. Very different to an isolated or infrequent activity with bonded asbestos containing product. Asbestos cement as used for garage roofs contains less than 15% asbestos. HSE do really good (free) Task Sheets for work with similar products. Until fairly recently it was perfectly acceptable for farmers to bury such materials on their own land. In the grand scheme it's low risk.
PS hundreds of our schools have asbestos content materials in wall, floor and ceiling tiles, plumbing and sealing products.
A good comment 💯👌
Scary stuff. Makes you wonder what's in the loft...
I agree 😬
Found this very informative, albeit, after contacting my local authority on the safe disposal of asbestos, I was horrified, to be told, it just goes into landfill?
TBH, I was expecting, some form of processing, so as to minimise the risk of contamination to surrounding areas, not just bury it.
There are special areas at certain civic amenities,(you have to make a booking with the local council) to which you can safely dispose of this material, nevertheless, the staff will not help, due to strict health and safety regulations, even though they have full PPE, they will only watch from a safe distance, while you place the double sealed bags in the skip.
Yes, Ian and homeowners are permitted to bury it on their land too 🤷♂️
I have just taken what I think is asbestos off of an old fireplace and it only occurred to me after I had completed it 😬 Luckily I had a mask on at the time as there was some mould in the walls that concerned me. But like you, I can’t remember how careful I was with my mask and I know that myself and my husband went into the room unmasked at one point afterwards! I can’t help but worry now!
I wouldn't worry too much Alex. It's an isolated event. The people who got struck down with this terrible affliction were exposed to it on a daily basis for years.
Good video. Can I say though £40 or £50 for all that stuff included in the asbestos kit seems like really good value, especially when they return you an answer in less than a week via email.
I agree Colin. Particularly given you can submit up to 7 samples I think. Thanks for watching 👊
If you contact a specialist, they don’t charge much over this to come and take the sample, test it and return the results the same day. Personally, I’d always opt for this over the diy kits.
Which is a huge grey area because its a hazardous material and shouldn't be sent through the post.
you could possibly already have the fibers in your lungs. you should see if you can get checked if you actually did breathe any in. the fibers are microscopic. and stay in the air long after that hole saw drilling. side effects happen later on not immediately
Recently had a similar problem in our house...wanted to replaster the hallway and kitchen diner ceilings which have artex on them, bit outdated now but happened to see a video about testing for asbestos in the artex itself and you could send a sample away for testing....it came back positive on both samples so we have just had to paint over them again. Could have plastered over it instead of removing it first but asked a few plasterers for quotes and nobody wanted to know, too risky
Okay so David, artex is very low risk. It’s white asbestos which as shown in the video is 500x less dangerous then blue and 100x less then brown. It also contains a very small amount… normally around 2-3%. To put in perspective the board shown in the video will be up to 40%…
As a plasterer myself I still don’t take the risk to scrape it off but every single plasterer up until the last decade will have scrapped hundreds if not thousands. The best solution is to overboard then plaster or reskin it with a thick layer if it’s not thick and not on lath and plaster
Yes, in my old place in London, we screwed new plasterboard on top of the artex. Glad we did as I wouldn't have thought of asbestos at the time.
Isn’t it best practice to just actually take an artex ceiling down and re plasterboard it. We are buying a Victorian house with artex. I was hoping to get specialist company to take it all out and re plasterboard and skim a new ceiling
I'm old industrial worker and I've breathed in tons of asbestos sadly - it's very worrying.
Anyway may I suggest wetting the material before sampling to stop spread of fibres.
Thanks.
Yes, great point. So sorry to hear that. 🤞🤞
I moved into my current property in feb. Said on hr it may contain asbestos but was unaware of the problem's. A mate cane iver abd seen the ammount of artex in the house. And said get it tested. Luckily the bedrooms are clear but the walls in hallway and ceiling is full of white asbestos. Hes a gazard but if managed its ok.. ive checked it over. Painted ovr and cracks and will prob get it skimmed over abdxceiking dropped wgen funds are right. Till then its just exercising caution
You're right to do that. 👌
Did any of the comments mention health monitoring, if not whether your surveyor flagged this when you bought this property?
Frustrating theres no govt subsidy for it in NZ either, just means the likelihood of someone doing an average job to cover it up or dispose of it. Neighbors had an old laundry subfloor with it. 2m2 give or take. Professional removal meant site locked down for several days and a cost of roughly $5000nzd bit of a rough extra expense to have to accept. I believe they kept it in place in the end, tiled over it.
VINYL FLOOR TILES is the other that people miss, basically asbestos was used as a thickening agent on anything plastic (1970's black TOILET SEATS) like & common place until at least the 70's or maybe later, & was able to be used as a thickner in artex wall coatings until Feb 2002 when the legislation changes were brought forward about 5 years (and many in the industry complained the bring forward caught them unawares ... where as really, they should of not been using those sort of products, legal at the time or otherwise).
DRILLING into ARTEX is the other big one that catches people out. Tradesmen being at more risk than householders, as they will have more instances of exposure so accumulative effect.
Also, was widely used BEHIND electric CONSUMER UNITS as a backing/spacer to mount to the wall.
Yes, very good points. Thanks for sharing 👊
Have you made a will?
I watched a professional company take down an asbestos concrete building in a tech park I worked at. They putout a ~5m exclusion zone. had all the PPE and just soaked the building before cutting it up/smashing it down... other than this when you look in to it you need an H2 vacuum cleaner and FFP3 mask.. so let's be honest about the real risk of working with it... it's not low if basic precautions are used. Mist the area, soak the board, scribe a line and snap it in two, bag it, tag it and dispose. I'm not saying precautions shouldn't be taken, but they only need to be the basics.
Thanks James. Very sound advice - that's exactly what I'll do. With the cellar ceiling, chances are it's too small a job for the companies to be interested in so I'll remove that myself with a suit on, fill PPE and the mask, after spraying it. 👊
It is a dilemma for people, quite understandably, when they find that they do in fact have some form of Asbestos in their property they just want to get rid of it ASAP, however in many cases it would actually be safer to leave it alone, as long as it is stable and not breaking up ! Also, just because many of us of a certain age will probably have had some form of low level exposure in the past, it doesn't mean we should be cavalier about the risks now, sensible precautions are just that !
I agree. 👍
I used the same kit recently to test textured walls/ceilings for asbestos - luckily they came back NADIS.
Then, after ripping the lath and plaster off those walls, I learned there is a risk of... Wait for it... Anthrax, from dormant spores on the horse hair.
But apparently this mostly affects pre-1900 buildings, because of a change in the preparation method for the horse hair.
They really did love building with health hazards back in the day!
They most likely build with health hazards now as well, we just don't know about it yet.
I had the same situation with a renovation on a 1930's semi
For taking down and disposing of asbestos, wear your PPE at all times of handling and clean up and keep it wet to stop the fibres becoming airborne. When cutting up the big boards for disposal keep a constant flow of water where your cutting ideally using only hand saws to limit dust creation and allow time for water to catch any particles and use a wet/dry vac with a HEPA filter, dispose of the filter with the asbestos waste and throughly clean the vac too. It can be a bit of a ball-ache but it's much cheaper than getting in the professionals, asbestos can be dangerous but it's no match against proper PPE and water.
I removed asbestos from my garden in Blackpool and the local tip advised me to wrap it in large sheets of plastic and they would accept it. When asked about what plastic would be accepted they supplied a roll of heavy duty plastic and told me just wrap it up well and seal it with tape. It could be worth asking your local tip.if they to accept it in sheet form if well wrapped.
Thanks Derek. Yes I'm sure they will but it's just a question of how I'd safely cut it in half.
@@CharlieDIYte it was full length sheets from a roof I was dealing with must have been about 10ft long. As I hired a car trailer to move them (8x5) and they were longer than what the trailer was. Ten in total. I was the same as you their was no way I was going to cut them up and would not let the kid into the back garden for a full month after they were gone. Pos a bit overkill but better to be on the safe side.
Is there also a legal requirement to do a R&D asbestos survey prior to any major refurb works?
Not sure. I'm guessing it depends who's doing the work and in what environment.
Its going to be very fifficult to clean up where you drilled those holes Charlie, see if you can hire a specialised vaccuum.
When I used to work by it, even the safer stuff, cement board asbestos i used to spray coat it with contact adhesive glue.
I have a vac with a HEPA filter. Problem is you probably have to dispose of the filter afterwards and they've discontinued them. Will try and get a company in to do it. Will be a pain as it means emptying the whole cellar.
Thanks Charlie, I'm doing up my bathroom and pulling tiles off I realised there could be asbestos (it's a 1970 council flat and probably hasn't been touched except for a lick of paint - there is artex in the bathroom I've learnt often had asbestos in). Bought the testing kit via your link, thanks for sharing
Ive been reading this thread snd getting increasingly alarmed...I have artex bedroom ceiling. Lived in the house 23 years. Ive only justtcrealised the ceiling could contain chrysotile and worse there sre cracks above my bed. So I could well have been breathing in fibres for quite some time. Now I notice whete dust accumulates it is fine and powdery un like other dust in house. Will get a test done. But if I overbosrd doesnt that involve drilling into the asbestos ?
If you overboard you'll be fine as the screw will only penetrated the artex from beneath the plasterboard. That's exactly what I did in my old gaff in London - on the bedroom ceiling. I dread to think about all the artex we stripped elsewhere in the house though. 😬 In the meantime if you're worried you could paint over the cracks with watered down PVA using a mini roller. That'll stabilise it and stop any dust raining down.
@@CharlieDIYte Thanks Charlie for this advice. I'm kicking myself now for not realising that the dust could have been from a deteriorating popcorn ceiling. I just left it alone.
@@jlg6706popcorn ceiling if disintegrating is dangerous. I would get it tested .if it turns out positive I would get it professionally removed.
Hollywood movies used asbestos as snow in the early days!
Seriously 🫣?
@@CharlieDIYte Yes it was used in films like White Christmas and It's a Wonderful Life. The LA fire department approved it because it was safe for use on film sets under hot lights.
If you do decide to buy home testing kits, please do research on sampling techniques. The sampling process in this video is not advisable. Please pre-wet material with water, when taking sample, place a baby wipe over corner of material, prior to breaking off with similar cutters, sharp chisel or pliers with teeth ground down. Use free hand to pinch baby wipe with sample inside and then place in sample bags. This will suppress dust as sample taken and reduce likely hood of contamination of area. Clean tools with baby wipe once completed and prior to taking additional samples.
A professional company will only charge £100-£150 plus vat to attend site, undertake sampling and send off to a UKAS accredited company.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
We have nearly finished renovating our house and during this process we had to gut our loft due to a leaking roof. There were 3 layers of insulation, 2 layers of glass wool and the bottom layer was the original loose fill "wool".
I am not sure where this contains asbestos (the house was built in 1976) and I can't get clear answers online, so we have now ordered the kit you used and will be doing the test to get clarification.
Look after yourself, Charlie.... Glad you knew about it though
Thanks 👊
It breaks my heart to see this video and similar happened to me in our recent house move. It really angers me that asbestos was allowed up until the 90's in crazy stuff such as Artex to building materials. Endangering workers and future home improvers.
Now try getting an operator in to remove it, starts getting expensive.
Note that many waste tips only accept "bonded asbestos waste" that doesn't need a license to remove. It's ok for old garages, tiles, roofs and barge boards like yours.
Thanks Guy. I know, it's a nightmare isn't it. 👊
@@CharlieDIYte 😔 Absolutely. Especially since we care and understand consequences of these things.
Eventually, I have become optimistic : with care and attention undertaking further work plus the fact that most people are unaffected by limited exposure, it's important to believe best outcome.
Your video is such a professional positive response and in raising awareness....who knows how many people you have inadvertently saved that are vulnerable to asbestos.
I have removed it. It isn't a big job. The bigger job was building a wooden frame around it and covering it all with plastic to stop any dust escaping. Once that is done you gear up in disposable overalls and boot covers and a full faced mask. I also bought a vacuum cleaner which also got double bagged and sent to the asbestos tip- dont try and clean it. Clean up was vacuuming, tack clothes and a coat of paint over the frame before recladding. I used a slate ripper to attack the nails holding the sheet so you minimise damage to the sheeting. Goose neck each bag and don't overfill so it can go in a second bag. Tack cloth the tent you made before packing it down and also double bagging. Everything goes to the asbestos tip. Go slow and carefully and you will be fine.
Wow, what a comprehensive job you've done there 👌👏 Thanks for sharing.
How likely would a house built in 1995 contain asbestos in the UK?
Probably unlikely, but asbestos wasn't banned in UK until 1999. Get it tested if you're not sure.
Big sheets? Just wrap them in visqueen and tape them sealed. Forget 'bagging'.
Discord link please
www.patreon.com/charlieDIYte Would be great to have you on board 👊
My mum died of mesothelioma in January. She was a teacher and was subjected to the fibres whilst teaching in a canteen. It took 30 yrs to show itself and she lived for 2 years after diagnosis. Be very careful out there.
So sorry to hear that, and many thanks for sharing. 👊
@Charlie DIYte no worries. It's important to highlight the dangers associated with asbestos. My mum wasn't involved in an industry where asbestos was a thing. She was collateral damage. Brilliant video Charlie, thanks again.
Having watched my pop painfully die within 6-8 months with Mesothelioma I'd advise anyone to not take the risk. If you suspect, just leave it be or get it professionally tested and removed. It's awful stuff. If your UK based and live in a place built before 1999 you very likely have it somewhere.
Thanks for this, I agree. So sorry to hear about your pop. 👊
It only costs around £250 to have an entire 3bed house professionally tested. You can find asbestos in things like floor tiles and window sills.
We test every house we buy and develop because the builders need to know before they work on a property.
If there is some, we get it all professionally removed to make our houses safe for the future.
Thanks Craig, that's interesting. Great work 👊
Probably one time exposure with asbestos should have low risk. Consulting with a physician might be helpful. They may be ways to clean the lungs and get rid of those fibers before they cause any problem.
Pointless seeing a medic. There is no way to "see" any effects until health is affected. Don't worry about it, or you can make yourself ill that way.
As a kid I played on a tip where piles of raw blue asbestos fibre was dumped in 70's (Cape Industries near Hebden Bridge). There is no point in fretting, nothing can be done about it but so far so good. I have learnt a lot about asbestos for my job, and am OK working around low risk asbestos products with correct PPE as I understand the stuff now.
Hi Charlie, asbestosis/mesothelioma can become real from even a small exposure although a small dose is less likely to affect you than someone who is exposed regularly. The licensed asbestos removal industry require a full face mask and a powered respirator, but unlicensed stuff just requires a half mask with a P3 filter. The industry standard for unlicensed asbestos work is the Sundtröm SR 100 half mask. I work for them so I can send you one if you like. It's by far the best half mask on the market. There's no competition, and you can use it for any DIY tasks
That's invaluable info, thanks. Also very kind to offer to send me one. Let's chat on charliediyte@gmail.com Thanks again 👊
Mesothelioma can lay dormant in our bodies for more than 40 years and to date there is No cure for this incredibly painful killer disease…I speak from experience having watched 2 very close family members succumb to the disease…at least we are now aware to its harm stay well stay free…
Thanks. Yes so many similar stories in this feed. So sorry to hear about your losses 👊
Good video Charlie. I've worked on many sites over the years where we got kicked off until remediation work was done. I remember one job where there was a big old water tank in a kitchen ceiling void, which was covered in suspicious looking brown stuff. We asked whether it was asbestos, and the site agent replied, "It's only monkey dung lads, crack on." Monkey dung was asbestos mixed with cement and sprayed on to surfaces to insulate them.
2 days later, a squad appeared on site, poly'd off the kitchen area and spent a week removing this guff we had been working beside for days. A rep from the remediation company told us we should never have been allowed inside the building once the asbestos had been discovered.
That was the 1980s for you.
Thanks mate and sorry to hear about that. Yes stories like this abound everywhere. I've got a couple of builders working with me right now and they wince at the thought of all the adverts they've worked with over the years. 👊
I think asbestos is a little like smoking, in that the more you do it the more danger you are in. You should be fine after your one cigarette :)
Thanks, that's a good analogy. Let's hope so 👊
true everyone would technically been exposed to asbestos. since everyone use it around that time. Even I don't really like to say it 9/11 where almost the entire area of new york is affected.
Dropped a clanger on this one. Ask any trade and they will tell you that you’re covered for 40 years from your last known contact with asbestos. Personally, I’d never seen asbestos until my last employer showed me it. Hopefully nothing will happen but that’s me covered by them to at least 75!
Let's hope so. 😉
Seems fair....but if it ain't disturbed and flaky . Leave it alone ...once you start to remove it and flakes blow into the roof space .. you've just created a problem you didn't have ..and you'll never get them all swept up... you'll find all over the house...
Fair point. 👊
While asbestos is no joke, it is always important to keep things in perspective. The asbestos used predominantly in residential settings is chrysotile. The fibre structure of this particular type is quite curly. This means that, even within the lungs, it can be expelled over a long enough period of time (per the CDC). Small exposures like where you accidentally disturb it are therefore pretty low risk overall to your health.
The real dangerous stuff is the black and brown stuff used commercially. Those have needle-like points that will embed deep into the lungs and never get removed, only scar over. Thankfully, this stuff is virtually never used in homes.
Your post brought my peace. Just recently bout a house that was built in 1950 and inspector said a few panels in laundry room and outside area looked like potential asbestos. Now my brain is freaking out. It's all in good condition but my question is what if it is in all the walls of house can I drill holes to hang stuff or is this risk of disturbing fibers? Thank you
@@emily3333 Drilling holes would disturb few, if any, fibres. I wouldn't worry about that. Quite frankly, it's not common to encounter it in the actual walls.
@@Tephnos thank you 🙏
I agree with you and would leave it all to the professionals. By Dad died of Mesothelioma during the lockdowns. It's pure evil imo and a killer, i find any videos on the subject hard to watch. It's not worth the risk to you or your family.
So sorry to hear that Dave, and I'm not surprised you find videos on it hard to watch. Incredibly brave of you to do so 👊
I've got asbestos in my 60s house. I used a kit that I sent off in the post and got the results from a lab via PDF and I think it cost about £20 per sample.
I only realised there was asbestos after I'd removed half the old floor tiles and glue with a number and chisel! Once I knew I used loads of water to suppress the dust. I've also got Artex with asbestos in it, too.
From.whay I've read and been told, it's prolonged exposure to asbestos that's the problem.