Which of these (many) things might have asbestos?

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Hi all

I recently moved into a new (to me) house. It’s over 200 years old, but has been extended more than once (in 70s, then again around the turn of the century). There are a few areas which I think need to be tested for asbestos. There are a few others which might need to be tested but I’m not so sure…

There are companies which will test my samples for around £20 each, and if only a few things need testing that’s the road I’d go down. To have someone come out and do a full survey and take samples, I’d be looking at around £400. OUCH. I’d be happy to do that if *everything* needs testing. But I really can’t tell! So that’s where you guys come in :) Now, I know that with some things - like artex - it is impossible to tell from a photo. But with some of the other stuff it might be more obvious to people who know what they’re talking about (I don’t).

So if anyone can help but saying yay or nay on any of the photos below, that would be a great help. Sorry there’re so many photos! And sorry if I’m being paranoid! OK, here goes:

01. “Vermiculite” loft insulation (not sure it is definitely vermiculite, but it is that kind of thing):

01 Vermiculite.JPG


01a Vermiculite Close Up.JPG



02. Loft Felt Insulation. This is bonded to the roof felt and would have apparently been done so in manufacturing:

02 Felt Insulation.JPG



03. Plastered wall, probably done in the 70s (does old plaster ever have asbestos?):

03 Spare Bedroom Plaster.JPG



04. Bathroom plaster and tile adhesive… We recently removed the tiles. No idea how old they were. Does that kind of adhesive every have asbestos? What about the plaster beneath?

04 Bathroom Plaster and Adhesive.JPG



05. Bathroom ceiling artex. Seems a different type to the artex on the other ceilings (see below):

05 Bathroom Ceiling Artex.JPG



06. Ceiling Patch Up – where there had obviously been a leak or some kind of damage in the past:

06 Spare Bedroom Ceiling Patch Up.JPG



07. Another plastered wall, but this is in the old section of the house. We’ve recently removed the wallpaper:

07 Landing Plaster.JPG


08. Artex in another bedroom:

08 Bedroom Ceiling Artex.JPG



To be continued...
 
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09. Artex on plasterboard panels. The section between each beam is a separate panel (see second photo). Would the artex AND the plasterboard (or whatever) behind it need testing?

09 Living Ceiling Artex Panels.JPG


09a Living Ceiling Artex Panels Close Up.JPG



10. Is this stucco? The previous owners covered he fireplace wall in this white stuff and – I’m guessing – ran a finger around it to make it look like old stone work. We weren’t keen and started to hack away at it. Hence why it looks like it does now! So really hoping that this one is not asbestos :( And I guess I’m asking about the “stucco” stuff and the plaster beneath

10 Fireplace Wall Stucco and Plaster.JPG


10a Fireplace Wall Stucco and Plaster Close Up.JPG



11. Living room floor tiles (was carpeted when we moved in). Aside from the asbestos question, curious to know if anyone knows what they are?

11 Living Room Floor Tiles.JPG


11a Living Room Floor Tiles Back Side.JPG


11b Living Room Floor Tiles Profile Close Up.JPG



12. Plasterboard ceiling in the semi-converted cowshed:

12 Cow Shed Ceiling.JPG



13. Some crumbling (but very dry) wall in the semi-converted cowshed:

13 Cowshed Wall - Fireplace.JPG


To be continued...
 
14. Roof undercloak:

14 Undercloak.JPG


14a Undercloak Close Up.JPG



15. Concrete tiles:

15 Concrete Roof Tiles.JPG



16. Coving. It’s a lot smaller than the coving I’ve seen in the past. Guessing it might be older too…

16 Coving.JPG



17. No photos for the last one… But I’ve had to pull a few boards up upstairs and so have seen the plasterboard ceiling from the back end. Some simply have Gypsum written on them. Some have LaFarge and then a a bunch of codes, etc. One of them says: “Lafarge Plasterboard 1352 Part 1 1985 Natural Gypsum (02:59 : B…”. Couldn’t see it all! Any chance either of these might have asbestos?

If you got this far you deserve a medal and a big huge thanks!

Cheers

PS - I know it's a long thread and a big ask to post for help on this, so even a reply to a few of the questions would be a massive help.
 
DIYNotIan, good evening.

OK, where to start? top down.

Image 1 Vermiculite yes this material can Asbestos so called ACM [Asbestos Containing Material] suggest you search on this site for Vermiculite, there was a series of posts here some 6 / 10 weeks ago about vermiculite and ACM. As an aside it looks like Vermiculite.

Image 2. Glass wool Insulation is in itself no risk but from time to time any old bonded paper can have ACM

Image 3 "Plaster" does not generally have any ACM.

Image 4 Bathroom tile adhesive I cannot recall having any ACM

Image 5 / 8 /9/10 [Artex] yes have scrape tests undertaken

Image 7 Plaster as above.

Image 11 I would think it will be OK But?? get them tested, I do not recognise the material especially the raw cut edge?

Image 12 / 13 Plaster as above.

Image 14 the infill between exposed edge of the tiles will be Sand Cement, as an aside it would be of no risk to you if indeed it contained an ACM. Having said that? the soffit [ the horizontal section between the facia and the wall is often made up from Cement Bound Asbestos.

Image 15 No ACM they are Concrete.

Image 16 Coving, old coving was plaster, modern stuff is plaster or polystyrene, some modern "ornate" can be plaster+ fiber, very unlikely to have and ACM

Image [non existing] 17 Plasterboard no ACMs

Ken
 
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That's so incredibly helpful; thanks a billion.

I've got to shoot off to work now but will have another read when I get back and maybe a question or two if that's ok?

Thanks again :)
 
Pretty well covered in the posts above.
If the floor tiles are thin and brittle they could contain asbestos but very low risk material. Roof tiles can contain it, some vermiculite from Canada because it comes from a similar location to asbestos and was produced in a factory that also produced asbestos products (more like the "may contain nuts" thing we have these days) Artex unless post 1999 always possible.
Given your worries though £400 for a full survey might be money well spent if you are worried about carrying out extensive works.;)
 
Hi all

Ok. So what do you reckon re...

1. It's hard to get a straight answer on the vermiculite but from what I've read - and as above - it is only cross contamination that has been an issue and that was in the States... Maybe just test for peace of minds sake. Although I have moved a fair bit of it so if the test is positive I'll poop myself!

10. To be honest, I said stucco in the OP without really knowing what it means! On further reading, I don't think that's what it is. Rather, in places it came off in quite large but thin sections using a chisel. In other places it seemed a lot thicker/deeper and had to be hacked away at. Not sure if that helps! I'm sure someone in the know would be able to tell instantly if they were here.

14. It was the surveyor who flagged the roof undercloak. I can see what you mean though, perhaps only worry about it if or when the roof needs work. With regards the soffits, were you talking generally or about my house as well? If the latter, I can't see where you mean on the photo.

16. The coving is strange. Or maybe not, but I've never come across anything like it. It seems to be almost like a foam material. Or lightweight polystyrene. Very light and if you press with a fingernail it leaves a mark.

Great to hear that most the stuff seems ok though :)

Thanks again to all.
 
Coving sounds like light weight stuff early was polystyrene later paper covered foam do a search for light weight coving to see.:)
 
RE 10. I've just heard back from the previous owner. She said the wall used to be clad in slate fragments, which she didn't like, so she removed the slate and underneath was just cement rendering. Does cement rendering ever contain asbestos?

After getting it back to the render, she used a poly cell plaster and created the stone effect from that. I'm not sure how long ago. Any chance of that having asbestos?

Big thanks again
 
If it was a polycell product I have never heard of any of their products containing asbestos and cement render is just that cement and sand.(y)
 
The correct term is "textured coating" and it matters not if it was made by Artex, Textrite, Polycell or whoever, they all used chrysotile fibres in the mix.
 
The stuff on the fireplace wall wasn't/isn't textured. It was a very smooth finish which I think she then ran her finger (or something) around to make it look like stone work.

Thanks for the replies
 
"Textured" coating can be put on smooth. It's not like peanut butter where there are two distinct types.
 

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