Possible Asbestos - 1960s fireplace

[Doritos60]

Hi there. I moved into a 1960s house (UK). As far as I’m aware, the previous owner used to have a gas fire, which they then removed. They blocked off the fireplace and boarded over it.

I had knocked through this to install a log burner. There are a couple of sheets that look to have been over what could have been a back boiler when the house was initially built. I did not think too much of it at the time but now of course in hindsight think these sheets could have been asbestos. Some were already cut and cracked (not by me).

If they are asbestos sheets, I can accept that I’ve likely inhaled some dust when knocking through/cleaning up the mess and there is nothing I can do about that now. However, I was wondering if anyone can help with the following questions please:

1. Does this look like asbestos? If so, AIB?
2. Now boarded off, is this likely to be an issue anymore?

I’m concerned more about if it’s an issue since I’ve boarded this off and the fact that I had hoovered up the mess and will have used that hoover all over the house since.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[gas112]

All ok now boarded over and SEALED .
IF it is AIB you will now have contaminated the rest of your house by using the hoover . I have seen people having to dispose of all the soft furnishings and carpets of their house when things like this have happened basically anything that cant be wiped clean .
I would dump the hoover for starters just in case

 

[denso13]

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Can't tell by looking. You can get an air test done and take it from there.

 

[Brigadier]

Can't tell by looking. You can get an air test done and take it from there.

Waste of time.

Fibres - if present - will have settled, and to raise them (to give the test any validity) is against published HSE guidance.


To the OP: go to UKAS website - https://www.ukas.com/find-an-organisation/ - and find a local consultant.

Get them out, and talk to them face-to-face.

And, as Gas112 says, expect to buying a new vac.

 

[footprints]

Looks like asbestos cement to me going by the thickness and the slight dimpled effect on the rear section, rather than AIB.
You might want to dump the hoover but otherwise I would not worry too much I assume you took it out in more or less whole chunks, so very little risk I would think.

 

[Doritos60]

Looks like asbestos cement to me going by the thickness and the slight dimpled effect on the rear section, rather than AIB.
You might want to dump the hoover but otherwise I would not worry too much I assume you took it out in more or less whole chunks, so very little risk I would think.

Thank you. I was hoping not AIB. It was thin and grey as well, but I couldn’t find anything on line to show the difference between cement and AIB. Had not removed it, just boarded over and sealed around. Hoping that’s contained it.

 

[denso13]

Waste of time.

I disagree. The last one I instructed ended up with the flat being stripped and everything being thrown out, furniture, carpets, the lot (safely).

Ended up with a substantial fine for the joinery contractor, prosecuted by the HSE.

 

[Brigadier]

I disagree. The last one I instructed ended up with the flat being stripped and everything being thrown out, furniture, carpets, the lot (safely).

Fibres - if present - will have settled, and to raise them (to give the test any validity) is against published HSE guidance.

 

[denso13]

Fibres - if present - will have settled, and to raise them (to give the test any validity) is against published HSE guidance.

Air tests can also include dust samples taken from furniture, hoovers etc.

They are an option for a reason.

 

[Doritos60]

Air tests can also include dust samples taken from furniture, hoovers etc.

They are an option for a reason.

Thank you. I think getting an air test is sensible, especially based on a possible solution of having to basically strip everything out if necessary. Although, I’m hoping that only a small amount was released from the cracked sheet and that it’s concrete sheet and not AIB, which would hopefully not result in the need to throw everything out. I’d rather know the truth, but have to admit that this now has made me quite worried.

 

[footprints]

Thank you. I was hoping not AIB. It was thin and grey as well, but I couldn’t find anything on line to show the difference between cement and AIB. Had not removed it, just boarded over and sealed around. Hoping that’s contained it.

You did not disturb it it's sealed don't worry about it. Its sealed up and safe now .

 

[denso13]

I think getting an air test is sensible

Here's a diy one, put your mind at rest if you are worried about it.

Asbestos Indoor Air Test

The Asbestos Indoor Air & Household Dust Test determines if there are asbestos fibres in the air of your home. Shop Now.

ivario-lab.co.uk

 

[Brigadier]

Air tests can also include dust samples taken from furniture, hoovers etc.

Really?

They're separate things: air tests go through filters, drawn by a pump from the air.
1-2m above the ground (to mimic "normal" breathing zone).

Dust samples are scooped / scraped / collected with adhesive/static charge etc) / even mini-vacs, from surfaces

Air samples can be quantified.
Dust samples (due to the generally unreplicable nature of collection) can't.

 

[gas112]

Really?

They're separate things: air tests go through filters, drawn by a pump from the air.
1-2m above the ground (to mimic "normal" breathing zone).

Dust samples are scooped / scraped / collected with adhesive/static charge etc) / even mini-vacs, from surfaces

Air samples can be quantified.
Dust samples (due to the generally unreplicable nature of collection) can't.

pretty basic really a swab test is not an air test

 

[^woody^]

If you are over 20 years old, you've likely breathed in more asbestos fibres already that would ever escape from that cracked sheet. And the amount of fibres that would go up a vacuum and be recirculated would not even be measurable.

It looks like cement board (chrysotile) so low content and lower risk than AIB.

No risk once covered up