Any home that was built before the year 2000 may contain some form of asbestos but as long as it is not damaged, flaking or loose it is unlikely to cause you problems.
It is important to be aware that your home may contain asbestos, so you can avoid doing anything that could put you or your family at risk. If you have any concerns about Asbestos in your property, please contact the RBH asbestos team at rbh.repairs@rbh.org.uk or call Freephone 0800 027 7769.
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What is Asbestos ?
Asbestos is a collective name given to a group of naturally occurring fibrous minerals that are contained within natural rock. The minerals appear as masses of strong flexible fibres that can be separated or woven and used in over 3,000 different building materials.
It was most used in building materials
between the 1950s and 1980s.Asbestos was often used to fireproof buildings but was also used as a general building material. Almost all buildings built or changed during this period are likely to contain some form of Asbestos. Products that contain Asbestos can often look the same as those that do not.
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What is the likelihood of exposure to Asbestos in the home ?
There are very low levels of Asbestos in the atmosphere all the time, exposure to this low level of Asbestos fibres is unlikely to harm peoples’ health. It is very unlikely that the levels of Asbestos that may be found in your home will be harmful, but if you believe you have Asbestos in your home, you should contact RBH so we can survey and
monitor the Asbestos to reduce the
risk even further. -
Are you at risk?
Asbestos can only pose a risk to your health if the Asbestos fibres become airborne. You will not be at risk if products containing Asbestos are undisturbed or undamaged. In good condition Asbestos is not a health hazard and if it is undamaged it should be left alone and monitored.
DIY activities such as drilling, sanding and sawing may disturb and possibly damage products containing Asbestos. Before doing any DIY work you should first seek permission from RBH who will be able to advise on the risk of Asbestos in your home.
