Asbestos under tile9/22/2023 ![]() What Years Was Asbestos Used in Flooring?Īsbestos floor tiling was popular before the 1980s. Asbestos was a flooring option of choice for many because of its affordability and resistance to heat, that's why it was also used in fire resistant clothes for firefighters. There are six different types of asbestos. ![]() What Is Asbestos?Īsbestos is a fibrous silicate mineral. A word of warning, though, cutting into the tiles can cause asbestos to be released into the air so if the lab you send your sample to finds asbestos in the sample, you will need to remove the rest of the flooring right away.Īlternatively, they do sell home testing kits, but given that if the tiles are intact, you’re going to have to make an incision to test either way, the lab may just make more sense. Since there is still a chance asbestos is present in this case, be sure to use a mask when you’re cutting out your samples. You can cover the area you cut the sample out of with a large piece of duct tape. Then seal it very tightly before sending it out. ![]() Use a utility knife to cut your samples free and put them into a plastic bag. The lab will usually require you to send at least three samples. You can easily eliminate all doubt about whether there is asbestos in your title floors by sending a sample of any tiles you suspect to contain asbestos to a special laboratory for testing. Keep in mind the mastic used as an adhesive for these older tiles might also contain some asbestos. The flooring during this period was usually made in nine-inch squares and is quite a bit thicker than most of the more modern vinyl tiles. Date the TilesĪnother time period asbestos floors were popular was between the years of 19. One of the main ingredients used in old asbestos tiles was asphalt, so they were primarily made in dark colors only. Vinyl or asphalt tiles that have these colors in them have a high likelihood of asbestos fibers. When inspecting the tiles, look for parts that are grayish brown, dark gray, dark brown, or black. If you have never laid tile before, however, and are concerned you may break the asbestos-infected tiles in the process, you should preemptively pay the professionals to remove them instead to be extra careful. In fact, replacement may be even safer than removal if you can vouch that the old tiles are in good condition, since the process of removing them runs the risk of breaking the tiles and releasing the harmful fibers into the air. It also has the benefit of being cheaper than hiring a company to remove the tiles. However, if you can seal intact asbestos underneath a fresh layer of flooring, the overall effect is about as safe as removing the tiles all together. Again, the stuff isn’t wildly radioactive or anything, just harmful when broken down and inhaled. If you don’t find out that there is any cracking or other signs of decay in your tile floors, you can most likely safely build over the asbestos with a different material. So, if you find the asbestos-laded tiles is in a bad condition or if there is any kind break in the impacted tiles, it would be best for you to contact an asbestos professional and have them come in to remove the materials before you begin the work of putting in a new floor. It’s when the material is broken up that you risk releasing the dangerous asbestos fibers into the air, which can then be inhaled and create health risks. Asbestos will not be harmful if the tiles are fully intact and in good condition. You should start off by examining the material, in this case, the floor tiles, closely to determine its condition. If you are hoping to identify asbestos floor tiling yourself, however, here are a few tips and tricks that should help you out. While it can be costly to test the materials that may be infested with asbestos, the safest course of action is to assume there is in fact asbestos in your tiles and get it treated, especially if your floor was installed in the 1980s or before, the heyday of asbestos tiling.
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