Hello all, I have a family member that just got a house that was built in the 30's and there is some busted up tile in the basement that looks like vct tile. I am concerned that it might contain asbestos and wondering where they should get it tested at? This home is located in metro Detroit. Also is there any programs that would help with the expense of removal if that is the case? Thanks in advance.
Question on possible asbestos tile in basement
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Looking for labs in the area. Floor tile is about the innocuous as asbestos gets. The mastic is usually more dangerous. Just don't grind it up in the meantime.
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Use these guys, they are great.
Send a sample of tile & the mastic.
http://www.prolabinc.com/asbestos-test-kits.asp
Send a sample of tile & the mastic.
http://www.prolabinc.com/asbestos-test-kits.asp
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As previously discussed here your best course of action may be not to have it tested. If it's tested and found to contain asbestos you open up a big can of worms of regulations including permitting, disposal costs and even the future sale of the home. As mentioned previously it's not really a huge danger so I better course of action is to remove it yourself. Wear a disposable respirator in remove and bag the tile. There really is no risk of doing it that way and you avoid a lot of present and future problems.
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Trust me. Any home inspector worth their salt is going to spot asbestos tile a mile away and recommend that it get abated. There's no hiding from the issue.
That is not the case anymore since the housing market crash. Home Inspectors are usually fresh off of the Fry line at the local fast food restaurant.
If you do not think so. Go take a look at the posts over at inspectorsjournal.com. It proves that there is no one out there anymore who was in the trades before. They all are about as smart as talking to a brick wall.
They have to go on their forum and ask questions about everything from construction to electrical.
Not sure I would be advising people to potentially break the law and possible creating hazardous situation. Where I live , saying you didn't know it contained asbestos is not a defense against the fines for improperly disposing of asbestos. You are clearly responsible for determining if construction debris contains asbestos or other hazardous material.Msradell said:
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Get it tested! "Ignorance is no excuse in law!"
Leave it alone.
The asbestos in VAT is non-friable and poses no hazard if you don't mess with it. No drilling through the tile, no sanding of the tiles, no aggressive buffing or cleaning of the tiles with scrubbing discs. Carpet contractors with Home Depot will refuse to install carpeting over top of the tile due to H-D's fear of legal liability but many other installers will install carpet over VAT floors.
Fill the missing tile gaps with floor leveling compound. Don't nail in new tack strips for carpeting unless you first apply a layer of Duct Tape or other sticky barrier under the strips to trap fugitive fibers potentially released by the nails.
You can apply VCT(vinyl composition tile) directly over the VAT (vinyl asbestos tile) with no legal consequences. All the Federal Asbestos Regulations apply to commercial and Industrial properties, not single family owner occupied residential.
Just don't do anything foolish and everything will be fine.
I ran the Asbestos Inventory and Remediation programs for one of the Big three automakers for years. I encountered the same issue as the Original Poster last year at my son's house in the Detroit area. I contacted my former business associates who are Licensed Asbestos Remediation and Industrial Hygienists, and asked their advice regarding the problem
The information I posted above is their comments, paraphrased.
Since the OP is also in Michigan it also applies to him/her. Other states may have more restrictive requirements for home owners, so check with local authorities before following my comments if you do not live in Michigan.
The asbestos in VAT is non-friable and poses no hazard if you don't mess with it. No drilling through the tile, no sanding of the tiles, no aggressive buffing or cleaning of the tiles with scrubbing discs. Carpet contractors with Home Depot will refuse to install carpeting over top of the tile due to H-D's fear of legal liability but many other installers will install carpet over VAT floors.
Fill the missing tile gaps with floor leveling compound. Don't nail in new tack strips for carpeting unless you first apply a layer of Duct Tape or other sticky barrier under the strips to trap fugitive fibers potentially released by the nails.
You can apply VCT(vinyl composition tile) directly over the VAT (vinyl asbestos tile) with no legal consequences. All the Federal Asbestos Regulations apply to commercial and Industrial properties, not single family owner occupied residential.
Just don't do anything foolish and everything will be fine.
I ran the Asbestos Inventory and Remediation programs for one of the Big three automakers for years. I encountered the same issue as the Original Poster last year at my son's house in the Detroit area. I contacted my former business associates who are Licensed Asbestos Remediation and Industrial Hygienists, and asked their advice regarding the problem
The information I posted above is their comments, paraphrased.
Since the OP is also in Michigan it also applies to him/her. Other states may have more restrictive requirements for home owners, so check with local authorities before following my comments if you do not live in Michigan.
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I think any buyer of a house built in the 1930's will presume that there's lead paint and asbestos in that house.
It will be interesting to see how things pan out in 40 years time when all of the people alive today that removed vinyl asbestos tiles from their homes are all passed away. I wonder how many of them will have passed as a result of diseases related to lead and/or asbestos exposure.
My guess would be the percentage wouldn't be any higher than the percentage for the general population, or basically, a number that is statistically insignificant. If asbestos were that insidious, then all of the garage mechanics that replaced brake shoes and pads in the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's will be dying off of mesothelioma. And yet so far, we see no indication of such a thing happening. Asbestos related lung diseases aren't any more prevalent in garage mechanics than they are in anyone else. Go figure.
It will be interesting to see how things pan out in 40 years time when all of the people alive today that removed vinyl asbestos tiles from their homes are all passed away. I wonder how many of them will have passed as a result of diseases related to lead and/or asbestos exposure.
My guess would be the percentage wouldn't be any higher than the percentage for the general population, or basically, a number that is statistically insignificant. If asbestos were that insidious, then all of the garage mechanics that replaced brake shoes and pads in the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's will be dying off of mesothelioma. And yet so far, we see no indication of such a thing happening. Asbestos related lung diseases aren't any more prevalent in garage mechanics than they are in anyone else. Go figure.
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I certainly agree that's why I said that they should remove it themselves.
Actually, in the case of asbestos it is. Only if you know that you have asbestos do you have to reveal that when you sell a home. In this case ignorance is bliss!
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Do what we do. Leave it there, level any low spots, and go right over it. There's no danger as long as it's not broken up/grounded, and even then I'm sure it's minimal.
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