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How do you know if you have asbestos in your property?

There are thousands of products that contain asbestos and these are referred to as being "asbestos containing materials" - and they come in all shapes and sizes.

Asbestos has been used since the late 1800's and the health probelms associated with the material have been well known by the asbestos industry since that time - surprisingly though, the asbestos industry was able to continue producing products in the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia and many other countries until at least the late 1980's.

Many commercial and residential properties all over the world contain asbestos in some form or other. Because asbestos, a naturally occurring material, is so versatile, it's uses were extremely versatile, though it's primary use was as a fire retardant.

If you suspect that you have asbestos in your property, it is best to get a professional to identify they type of asbestos before doing any work. Asbestos should never be disturbed or broken.

Most usually, commercial buildings will contain asbestos or asbestos containing materials, though it is also found in certain cases in domestic properties.

Corrugated roofs and roof liners are found extensively in the UK on indiustrial units and these are usually made from asbestos cement. The type of asbestos used in cement products is Chrysotile or "white asbestos". because the asbestos is contained within a cement based matrix, then it's usally fairly safe - though some experts claim that there is no such thing as safe asbestos.

If an asbestos roof (whether on an industrial unit or on a dmestic garage or shed) is in good condition and it doesn't leak, there is no reason to change it. If occasional panels need replacing due to damage, this can be done by a competent roofer who will generally replace the affected panels with a non-asbestos equivalent. It is no longer possible to buy new asbestos roof panels in the UK, the USA or Australia.

Some properties contain what is known as "asbestos insulation board" which is made from a mix of Amoste (brown) and Chrysotile (white) asbestos. It is this asbestos that is currently causing concern, because often, people don't know that the board is made from asbestos.

Much softer than cement based products, asbestos insulation board when drilled, or damaged, can easily release fibres into the air, which can then be inhaled into the lubgs. The fibres are virtually invisible to the naked eye, yet if they lodge into the lining of the lungs, can cause "Pleural Plaques", a permanent scarring that can later lead to hardening of the lubg tissue, creating severe breathing difficulties. This is the condition known as Asbestosis, or Mesothelioma - a cancerous condition associated with asbestos exposure.

Blue asbestos, known as Crocilodite, was used in buildings that required strong amounts of insulation - either from heat or from condensation (for example in swimming pools or boiler rooms). This is the most dangerous form of asbestos and must not be disturbed unless it is being removed by experts - usually licensed contractors.

Some AIB boards have been known to contain blue asbestos.

There is no way of knowing what type of asbestos you are dealing with and for this reason, non-qualified people should attempt to remove it.

If you want to see examples of asbestos in various forms, then please see http://www.asbestosservices.com/asbestos-gallery - these are images taken from asbestos surveys in the UK and some of them can be quite surprising.

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