Asbestos Cement Products
Asbetos cement products are still common in both domestic and commercial properties throughout the UK. It was used inside and outside of buildings. It’s most common uses were for:
Asbestos Roofs, Walls & Rainwater Goods
Recognised by it’s dull grey colour, the most common profiles are corrugated roofs. On domestic properties, they are most often seen on garage roofs. The UK’s many industrial estates contain plenty of buildings with asbestos cement roofs, some as large as 100,000 square feet or more. The same corrugate profile is also used for industrial building wall cladding too.
But there are also asbestos cement roof tiles, seen on both industrial and domestic properties of a certain age.
Some look like normal slates, as they are a similar colour, but when broken, it’s possible to see the asbestos fibres within the tiles.
Others are red or green and are usually laid in a diamond patten on the roof.
Asbestos cement rainwater goods, like gutters, rainwater pipes and even some sewer pipes are also fairly easily recognised by their grey colour and again, they are found on both domestic and industrial buildings.
Asbestos Cement Floor Tiles
This type of tile looks just like a normal concrete paving slab and are usually found on roofs that are heavily trafficked. They are quite smooth, but occasionally, will have raised dimples on the outer face.
Asbestos Cement Flues & Ducts
Asbestos cement flues are still relatively common on properties with older boilers in situ. Even on some properties where older boilers have replaced, the original flue might remain, simply because leaving it was easier than removing it. This is particularly the case in some industrial and commercial premises where flues from boilers or incinerators go several stories to the roof and removal would have proved cumbersome.
Is Asbestos Cement Safe?
In normal circumstances, where the product remains in good condition, it is usually safe to leave such products in place. It’s only when they become unstable (through breakage or deterioration) that they pose any kind of threat to health from the release of asbestos fibres.
Ironically, most of the asbestos cement roofs that were installed during the 1950′s to the early 1980′s still remain in place today simply because the products were that good! Few modern day materials are so versatile and so strong.
Do I Need A Licensed Contractor To Work With Asbestos Cement?
Asbestos cement products are perhaps one of the lowest risk materials because of their low asbestos content. As long as the asbestos contained in the profile is “white” asbestos (Crysotile), it is possible to work on the product yourself, but you do need to follow sensible health and safety procedures.
For example, no asbestos containing material should ever be drilled, sawn or sanded, as this releases fibres. In cases where the product has to be drilled, you’re probably best advised to appoint a suitably qualified contractor with the correct health and safety equipment.
The UK’s Health & Safety Executive has a number of excellent documents available for free download on it’s web site.
For your convenience, we’ve provided relevant links direct to those documents below. Clicking on a link will open a new window. If you have a pop-up blocker on your web browser, just hold down the CTRL key as you click.
Drilling Holes In Asbestos Cement – This sheet describes good practice when you need to drill holes in asbestos cement, bitumen products, floor tiles or other highly-bonded materials containing asbestos.
Cleaning Debris From An Asbestos Cement Gutter – This sheet describes good practice when you need to remove debris from guttering. The guttering may be made of AC, or it may simply collect water from an AC roof, but itself be made from a different material.
Removing Asbestos Cement Debris – This sheet describes good practice when you need to clear up AC. This includes decontamination following a fire.
Cleaning Weathered Asbestos Cement Roofing & Cladding – This sheet describes good practice when you need to clean AC cladding and roofing, either to improve its appearance or to prepare it for a surface coating.
Repairing Damaged Asbestos Cement – This sheet describes good practice when you need to repair damaged AC.
Removing Asbestos Cement Sheets or Small Structures - This sheet describes good practice when you need to remove AC sheets, gutters, drains, ridge caps, etc on a small scale, or dismantle a small structure (eg shed or garage). This sheet does NOT apply for large scale work or mechanical demolition.
Painting Asbestos Cement Sheets – This sheet describes good practice when you need to paint an AC sheet that is in good condition. Caution: If done wrongly, painting can result in the sheet failing.
Replacing an Asbestos Cement Flue or Duct – This sheet describes good practice when you need to mend urgently, then replace, an asbestos cement flue or air duct.
Sometimes, the joints are sealed with asbestos string.
Removing and Asbestos Cement Panel Outside, Beneath A Window - This sheet describes good practice when you need to remove an AC panel mounted outdoors.