Artex ceiling coming down due to Leak.

[Chrischarles]

Hi. We had a pipe leak recently and now we have the Artex ceiling below coming down due to the leak under its own weight. We have been keeping it up using duct tape and a pole. 2 sides are completely separated from the ceiling. The right side is off the edge, and the end is off the panel next to it and the screw in the joist above it, but still supported by the coving against the wall. The ceiling was put in when it was built, around 1960's and we have been told it most likely has asbestos in it. I want to bring it down ASAP and its nearly almost completely off anyway. One side has coving covering it so we would probably need a Stanley knife to separate the paint where the ceiling and the coving meet?

As it contains Asbestos I'm not sure how to do it safely and would appreciate some advice? I've read you need coveralls, gloves, eye protection, face mask (would the blue paper ones everyone was wearing during covid do?) but there will probably be a lot of dust and we don't want any of that lingering around. Do you think if i just put up all that protection and put some sheets down and hoover up afterwards that would be okay?

Or do you recommend i go and buy some X-tex, cover the ceiling and the adjoining panels first, remove the artex then bring it down? Ive also read that if i just get some water and liquid soap in a spray bottle and just spray it around the edged as i bring it down that will prevent a lot of the asbestos fibres being released as the edges where the Artex is broken would be "wet". This would be the more economical option.

We also have a ceiling in a different room which was also water damaged due to a leaky roof. Its a small hole but the artex is broken. I didn't know then the asbestos was in the ceiling so its been there for almost 8 months already. As its in my elderly parents bedroom i don't want to create a lot of asbestos filled dust which ill never be able to get rid of, so i was thinking of just getting some Polyfilla and putting it on a trowel and just covering it over?

Ive attached some picture, the first is the ceiling - the panel is about 170cm by 90cm and in the different room the hole in the ceiling is about 7cm by 4cm

 

[opps]

Can you not just overboard the ceilings and leave the artex as it is?

 

[Chrischarles]

Can you not just overboard the ceilings and leave the artex as it is?

Thanks for the reply. I think im a bit worried about the plasterboard being rotten and then that spreading to other areas in the ceiling. The leak was ongoing for 7 months and we only noticed it when the ceiling couldn't hold any more water recently. The plasterboard is very fragile and is falling apart at the slightest touch.

If we did overboard it i think it would also make the ceiling lowered and uneven, compared to the rest of the room?