As a material for housing construction and renovation, asbestos came into prominence after the Second World War. Between 1945 and 1954, asbestos was widely used in the building industry. Then it became something else entirely. Let’s talk about asbestos, and why it’s something you simply cannot ignore.
Large number of homes used asbestos in the past
In NSW, 70,000 houses- which constituted 52% of total new constructions- used asbestos during this period.
Trivia: In Victoria, as many as 98% of homes built between 1945 and 1976 used asbestos products.
Range of products made from asbestos cement
A wide range of products is made from asbestos cement. These include, but are not limited to, corrugated roofing sheets, roofing shingles, downpipes, guttering and pipes for flues and drainage.
Still, widely-used as it may have been, asbestos is one construction material we’re sure countless builders and home owners in the past have regretted using for their homes.
Health risks attached with asbestos
There are formidable health risks attached with asbestos. While those working in the asbestos industry may suffer from deadly diseases like Mesothelioma (form of cancer) and asbestosis, even home owners and their family members are not safe from this material.
Broken asbestos and fibro can be dangerous if inhaled. In high proportions, asbestos can cause respiratory distress and disorders of the nervous system.
Ban on asbestos
Thankfully, asbestos has not been used as a building material in Australia since the early 1980s. There were a few homes which still unofficially used it for a couple of decades, though. It wasn’t until 2004 when a complete ban on asbestos products was fully implemented. Presently, you will be violating the law if you sell, store, re-use, supply or import asbestos.
It is true that you cannot use asbestos any more, but if you have asbestos in your home from the days prior to the introduction of the ban, then you are not bound to remove it. However, if you choose to, you need to follow certain guidelines of safety. For instance, you cannot just dump asbestos in any common waste disposal area.
The crucial question is, where can there be asbestos in your home?
Where can there be asbestos in your home?
It is not easy to recognize asbestos just by staring at it because it may be present in subtle forms. This said, there are certain areas where there is a good chance of its presence if your home was built before the 1980s. Such areas may include:
- Wood heaters
- Hot water pipe laggings
- Garages
- Carports
- Vinyl floor tiles
- Electrical meter boards
- Chimney flues
- Dog kennels
- Heater hearths
- Weatherboard claddings
Never try removes asbestos in DIY fashion. Contact an expert and get the potential asbestos material analysed in a laboratory. Remember that such labs must, at any rate, be accredited by the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA).
Some of us are very fond of buying vintage houses and then then renovating them. If you are one of them, beware! You may just have bitten more than you can chew if asbestos starts leaping out of the floor tiles or meter boards. That goes for everyone who own or live in an older-than-usual house.
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