Any house built or renovated before 1987 might contain asbestos.
Inside the house:
- Backing of vinyl sheet floor covering
- Carpet underlay
- Cement flooring
- Compressed asbestos sheet
- Flues to fireplaces
- Insulation below wood heater
- Internal and external ventilators
- Internal angle mouldings
- Internal walls & ceiling
- Kitchen splashback
- Loose fill insulation in roof cavity
- “Tilux” marble finish wall panel
- Vinyl floor tiles
- Wall sheeting - internal
Outside the house:
- Backing for electrical meter boards
- Dog kennels
- Downpipes
- Eaves and gables ends
- External angle mouldings
- Fences
- Garages
- Gutters
- Insulation for hot water pipes and tanks
- Internal and external ventilators
- Ridge capping
- Sheds & external toilets
- Wall sheeting – external
Stay safe when renovating everyone! - AHoy
Chalk me up for "insulation below wood heater". We plan to get the heater removed eventually, seeing as we have ducted central heating, and will definitely be calling in the experts when the time comes. - Mick0s
I thought this was an important point from the Asbestos awareness website: "Most people can’t tell whether building materials contain asbestos just by looking at them. Only scientific testing of a sample of material by an accredited National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) asbestos testing laboratory can confirm the presence of asbestos. For a NATA Lab List call 1800 621 666 or refer to their website at www.nata.com.au. When searching for an asbestos testing facility use a capital A in Asbestos." - Jason
In general, houses built between ‘70s - ‘90s have a relatively high chance of containing asbestos building material. e.g wall, floor, eaves, ceiling, etc. Using a NATA accredited asbestos identification lab is how to test samples for you if you are interested in finding out. There was no mention that an assessor could be sent, to appraise the risk of a domestic environment, so the place I contacted wanted homeowners to send them samples, but no advice on how to do it safely.
A sample should be double bagged using zig-lock bag, a small size of sample will be fine for the test (e.g 2cm x 2cm). Cost for asbestos identification testing when I checked was $50.00+ GST per sample, with a turn around time of two business days. - Andy_Mann
Lab test costs vary. I paid $55 + GST for each item sampled. That’s if you collect and prepare samples yourself and take them to the lab. If you call lab technicians to your site they charge upwards of $300 to collect samples and then test costs on top of that. - Reno-girl
If you think you have it in your home then always wear respirators when working with it. - woodenwookie
Here are the following State laws for removing of Non Friable Asbestos Only.
QLD
NSW
VIC
https://www.asbestos.vic.gov.au/in-the-home/find-manage-remove-dispose/homeowner-removal
SA
TAS
https://worksafe.tas.gov.au/asbestos
NT
https://asbestos.nt.gov.au/practical-guidance-for/home-owners-and-home-renovators
I hope that gives you all some guidance to find relevant information for your state.
I also want to say as a qualified class B non Friable and Class B supervisor non Friable that you do want to take your health and the health of those around you serious with any asbestos removal. If you are doing yourself then learn the proper procedures otherwise call in the professionals, it only takes 1 spore of the fibre to cause asbestosis.
Be safe Bunnings peeps and happy DIY renovating.
Many thanks for those links @CSParnell. I trust our members will find them a valuable source of information when dealing with asbestos in their homes.
Mitchell
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