Hidden Hazards: Where Asbestos May Be Found In Your Building

The supply and use of asbestos is currently banned in the UK, due to the severe risks these materials pose to human health. But despite this long standing ban, buildings that were constructed before the 1980s may still contain historical quantities of asbestos materials. These can be especially harmful if they begin to deteriorate or are disturbed, where this can cause toxic fibres to be released into the environment.

Throughout the 20th century, asbestos-containing materials were widely used for a range of construction purposes, meaning residual quantities can now be found in a variety of areas throughout older buildings. Read on to find out more about some of the common places that asbestos substances can still be found today.

Insulation & Roofing Materials

One of the most common places that asbestos can be found today is in the roof of domestic and commercial buildings, where it was formerly used as insulation. Asbestos-containing materials have also been used in the past to insulate pipes, electrical panels and wiring, where this was typical for industrial sites.

Floor & Ceiling Tiles

Throughout older buildings, floor and ceiling tiles have been found to contain traces of asbestos. This harmful substance has been used in the past in the manufacturing of both vinyl floor tiles and decorative ceiling tiles, where the substance has also been discovered in tile adhesives.

Cement & Building Products

Samples of asbestos have also been found in historic cement mixes, where cement is used widely throughout both domestic and commercial buildings. Asbestos was employed for its ability to enhance the strength of these cement mixes, which were often utilised for the fitting of corrugated materials and industrial pipeworks.

Textured Paints & Coatings

In addition to this, asbestos-containing materials have also been used historically in the manufacturing of certain types of wall paints, where these products can cause widespread health problems as the paint decays. It is also found in other commonly used textured wall coatings and finishing solutions.

Fireproofing Materials

Throughout the 20th century, asbestos was also utilised for fire proofing endeavours, where the material was found to be especially flame resistant. This included purpose built insulation products as well as fireproofing sprays and coatings.

Gowrie Contracts: Comprehensive Asbestos Removal & Testing Services

At Gowrie Contracts, our priority is to make your building safe, where our asbestos experts can assess the risk factors at hand and come up with a detailed removal plan. We also offer demolition support and land remediation solutions - simply get in touch today to find out more about our full range of asbestos services.