Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous material that has been a popular building material since the 1950s. It is used as an insulator (to keep in heat and keep out cold), has good fire protection properties and protects against corrosion.
Because asbestos is often mixed with another material, it's hard to know if you have asbestos in your home. It is likely that some parts of a building will contain asbestos if it was built before 2000.
The 3 types of asbestos which have been used in the UK are:
- crocidolite (blue asbestos)
- amosite (brown asbestos)
- chrysotile (white asbestos)
Blue and brown asbestos are thought to be the most dangerous.
When asbestos is a problem
When asbestos materials age or become damaged they can release fibres into the air. The shape and size of the fibres means they are able to penetrate deep into the lungs, where they may stay for a long time, causing possible lung damage.
When very high levels of these fibres are breathed in there is a risk of lung diseases.
Exposure to asbestos
There are very low levels of fibres in the air everywhere because asbestos has been used widely and is a naturally occurring substance. Everyone is breathing these in all the time, but exposure to this low level of fibres is unlikely to harm people's health.
It is very unlikely that the levels of asbestos fibres found in buildings will be harmful, but if you have damaged asbestos materials in your home you should seek advice on suitable action to take.
High, short-term contact with asbestos fibres can occur during DIY work. For this reason, avoid disturbing materials which might contain asbestos.
Asbestos in council homes
A number of council homes contain asbestos. We are committed to making sure that all materials containing asbestos in your home are safe. If you find materials containing asbestos or they are discovered during minor works, we will inspect them and if necessary, the material will be removed. We will keep you informed about the process at all times.
Common locations of asbestos in council homes
- fascia and soffit boards
- panels beneath window frames
- roof sheets or tiles
- loft cement cold water tank
- old ventilation pipes and soil pipes
- textured coatings and ceiling panels
- hot pipe insulation
- bath panelling
- garage roofs
- garage facia boards
- garage window lining
- panels behind fires or heaters
- fire door panels
- partition walls
- rainwater downpipes and guttering
- service ducting
- roof felt or lining panels
- floor tiles and linoleum products
Minimise the risk of exposure to asbestos in your home
Materials containing asbestos which are in good condition and left undisturbed are safe and do not pose a risk to your health.
- make sure that anything you think may contain asbestos remains in good condition
- always ask us for advice before carrying out DIY work
- don't drill, sand or scrape anything you think may contain asbestos - ask us first
- always soak wallpaper before removing. If possible use a steam stripper and then gently peel away the paper before re-decorating
- don't try to remove textured coatings from ceilings or walls. Wash any areas of flaking paint before re-painting
- don't try to remove old floor tiles or linoleum. Leave them in place and lay new floor coverings over them
- if you think that materials containing asbestos have been damaged, please contact the Housing Repairs team.