Not Sweet Or Salty: Popcorn Ceiling And Asbestos

Popcorn ceilings were a popular interior design choice from the 1950s to the 1980s and contained asbestos. This was before its dangers were widely known, as when faced with heavy exposure to asbestos over a number of years it was found to cause pleural disease (a thickening of the lining covering the lungs), mesothelioma (cancer that affects the lining of the lungs), and lung cancer. Read on to find out whether you have popcorn ceiling with asbestos installed in your home, why asbestos removal is necessary, and how asbestos contractors can help.

The Danger Of Asbestos Popcorn Ceilings

If you’ve got a popcorn ceiling, don’t panic! Asbestos doesn’t pose a serious risk until it is disturbed, so if your popcorn ceiling is in good condition, then should not release any dangerous asbestos fumes. However, if there is damage, disturbance during renovations, or any sort of wear and tear, it is essential to test your popcorn ceilings for asbestos, and potentially remove it with the help of asbestos contractors.

If you’re uncertain whether your popcorn ceiling contains asbestos, it is essential not to disturb it in any way, and any peeling that begins is cause for the ceiling to be either removed or enclosed.

Do not do any of the following;

●     Use tape, screws, or nails in the ceiling

●     Scrape the ceiling

●     Install shelving that connects to the ceiling

●     Use bunk beds in a room that has asbestos popcorn ceiling

●     Throw things or objects at the ceiling

Does My Popcorn Ceiling Have Asbestos?

Asbestos had excellent constructive properties which made it excellently suited for usage in a number of products; from insulation material for buildings to cement for roofing. This meant that blue and brown asbestos was used as late as 1985, with the ban extended to white asbestos in 1999.

This means that by looking at the date of your home’s construction, it is still difficult to quickly ascertain whether the popcorn ceiling contains asbestos. It is advisable to hire an asbestos removal contractor to test your popcorn ceiling and have it removed if necessary.



Removing A Popcorn Ceiling

If you’re based in Scotland and have a popcorn ceiling which you might think contains asbestos, Gowrie Contacts Ltd is here to help.

Our techniques include the Safe Strip System (often referred to as the ‘red box’), a controlled wetting injection system for safe and efficient asbestos removal and the only system that complies with BS 8520-1:2009 safety requirements. Our services also extend to site decontamination, environmental cleaning, and encapsulation.

As one of the leading asbestos removal contractors in all of Scotland, we understand the terror and stress potentially having asbestos can cause and always strive to make the process as simple and easy for you as possible. Get in touch with us today at 01382 237854 or admin@gowriecontracts.co.uk.