Asbestos

Asbestos

In our housing stock there are certain properties that contain asbestos. Even if there is asbestos in your home, it is NOT usually a serious problem.

If you think you have asbestos in your home:

• Don’t panic, it is usually only a problem if it gets disturbed or damaged
• Don’t disturb any damaged area or product that might contain asbestos
• Don’t carry out any DIY
• Don’t sand, drill, saw or strip any area that might contain asbestos
• Don’t drill any holes in walls or ceilings
• Don’t insert nails in walls to hang pictures
• Don’t dust, sweep or vacuum dirt or debris that might contain asbestos
• Don’t remove any material that you think may contain asbestos

It is vitally important for your safety and those living in your home that before you carry out any alterations or improvements, you seek permission from us. We have an asbestos register, so we can check our records first to see if there is any likelihood of asbestos containing materials in your home.

Where is asbestos normally found?

Asbestos fibres were added to a range of products and materials, commonly used in the construction of houses and buildings since the early 1900s. If you find damaged asbestos in your home, let us know immediately.

If there is asbestos in your home, you are most likely to find it in small amounts in textured coatings, such as Artex and textured paint. It may also be found in:

• Eaves, gutters and rainwater fall pipes
• Air bricks and floor tiles
• Boilers and cold water tanks
• Pipe lagging and duct linings
• Fire blankets and fire surrounds
• Garage and shed roofs
• Linings for walls, ceilings and doors
• Insulation panels in some storage heaters
• Bath panels
• Central heating flues

If you don’t know whether something contains asbestos, call us and we will check our register. If we haven’t got a record, we can arrange to have the material inspected by trained personnel, have it analysed and/or carry out a risk assessment.

If you are you planning to carry out any improvement works to your home, please call our Contact Centre on 0161 393 7117 before starting.