Is this Asbestos?

[Tyga11]

 

[Plumber90]

Pretty sure it's not, you can't be that worried if you have some of it in your hand

 

[nortonj]

Lat and lime with a bit of horse hair

 

[Burnerman]

For sure, the first pic looks just like a typical lath and plaster ceiling.
Where did the bit you are holding come from?
John

 

[Tyga11]

Pretty sure it's not, you can't be that worried if you have some of it in your hand

Touching asbestos isn't a problem is it? Unless you mean that I have broken it away and released fibres? Unfortunately I'd done that before I contemplated it could be asbestos.

I have no reason to believe it could be asbestos other than paranoia, but now I have it in my head I want to be sure it's not!

 

[Tyga11]

For sure, the first pic looks just like a typical lath and plaster ceiling.
Where did the bit you are holding come from?
John

The bit I'm holding is a piece that was loose that I pulled free.
I've had a leak, and since then there has been a smell of damp/mould coming from the area.
I've been having a hard time knowing what to do about it, but tonight I decided sod it I'm cutting a hole in the floorboards and taking a look at what's going on down there...

 

[Burnerman]

Relax mate, no worries with asbestos.
Did you find the leak?
John

 

[Tyga11]

Relax mate, no worries with asbestos.
Did you find the leak?
John

Great, thanks

Well the leak was discovered months back, it was the isolation joint that the plumbers who fitted my shower put in when they came off the feed to the bath.
It had been slowly dripping onto the area you see in the first photo, and eventually was discovered when it came down the light fitting in the room below. I thought it would have all dried out by now, but either it hasn't or there's mould down there because there's an unpleasant smell that comes and goes.

 

[Corgigrouch]

Time to worry about finding horse hair in your ceiling plaster is when it is still attached to the horse

 

[muggles]

Pretty sure it's not, you can't be that worried if you have some of it in your hand

Touching asbestos isn't a problem is it? Unless you mean that I have broken it away and released fibres? Unfortunately I'd done that before I contemplated it could be asbestos.

I have no reason to believe it could be asbestos other than paranoia, but now I have it in my head I want to be sure it's not!

Now you have it in your hand, it's too late - if it was asbestos you'd have already breathed the fibres and done the damage

 

[Tyga11]

Pretty sure it's not, you can't be that worried if you have some of it in your hand

Touching asbestos isn't a problem is it? Unless you mean that I have broken it away and released fibres? Unfortunately I'd done that before I contemplated it could be asbestos.

I have no reason to believe it could be asbestos other than paranoia, but now I have it in my head I want to be sure it's not!

Now you have it in your hand, it's too late - if it was asbestos you'd have already breathed the fibres and done the damage

But it's not, right?

 

[muggles]

Looks like horse hair to me, but there's no sense worrying about something you can't do anything about anyway. Get on with your life

 

[Tyga11]

Looks like horse hair to me, but there's no sense worrying about something you can't do anything about anyway. Get on with your life

I take your point, but I'd rather be certain. If there's even the shadow of doubt on here I'd take it for professional analysis.

 

[Tyga11]

Also, why are there these 'ridges' of plaster like this on the wood? Does it provide insulation?

 

[mogget]

It's horse hair plaster, asbestos fibres are much finer and barely visible individually.

The laths have gaps between them and the plaster was forced between them to make it grip before plasterboard was used.