If you’ve recently learned that your garage roof has some Asbestos-Containing Materials (ACMs), or even if you just suspect that this might be the case, you’re no doubt wondering what to do about it. And you’ll be keen to know whether it can be easily removed with minimal cost and damage to your roof. Before 1999, when the then government banned its use in new buildings, asbestos cement sheets were a popular variety of garage roofing, especially throughout the 1960s and 1970s. They provided a number of benefits, from durability to versatility and cost-effectiveness, not to mention their insula ..read more

At Crucial Environmental, we’re often asked about how important (or otherwise) it is to have an asbestos survey carried out when buying a new home, so we thought we’d dedicate a blog to the subject. Perhaps the first thing to say is that, while of course there are many clear benefits to commissioning a home asbestos survey when purchasing a property, it’s not actually compulsory. And, in fact, many people do buy their homes without ordering one. That said, there are often good reasons for proceeding with an asbestos survey on your new home, and getting one could save you some significant heada ..read more

We all know that asbestos is a highly hazardous material which releases dangerous particles when disturbed. Yet, surprisingly, when it comes to asbestos removal, it’s not always carried out in the safest possible way, or by those with the right training to really know what they’re doing. Indeed, asbestos shouldn’t be moved at all unless absolutely necessary; it’s often safer left intact and undisturbed with an asbestos management plan in place and regular re-inspection surveys to assess its condition. In fact, removing asbestos yourself without the right knowledge of how to do so safely can po ..read more

Asbestos was a popular building material prior to the 1970s, until it was discovered to be a carcinogen. It’s typically found in duct and pipe insulation, loft insulation, floor tiles and cement asbestos siding. But exposure to asbestos has life-threatening risks connected to it so, if it’s detected in your property, the issue needs to be handled with care. If you don’t take proper precautions when handling asbestos, it can be incredibly harmful to your health. If you’re considering asbestos removal from your home or business, you’ll understandably be worried about the health risks of doing so ..read more

Asbestos is certainly a word that can worry homebuyers. Asbestos is a naturally-occurring material that was widely used in building construction for many years, especially during and before the 1980s. Despite the fact that it was banned from use in 1999, many homes still contain asbestos. And this can become an issue when you come to sell your home. Some homeowners can be put off buying a property by the presence of asbestos – but does it affect the sale price? Here we take a look at how asbestos affects house prices and what you can do about it. Can you sell a home that contains asbestos? The ..read more

If you’ve purchased an older home, you may be met with Artex on the ceilings. It was used internally and externally in properties up until the mid-1980s to create a textured coating and pattern to surfaces. But what you may not realise is that this previously popular coating used to contain asbestos to strengthen the material, meaning that in certain cases it could pose a health risk to you and your family. So, how do you know if the Artex in your property is safe and what can you do if you believe it to contain asbestos? Is asbestos dangerous? Asbestos in Artex doesn’t pose a health risk if i ..read more

For many years asbestos was considered to be an extremely valuable material. With a wide range of uses thanks to its insulating and strengthening properties, it was used for sound proofing, mixed into cement, and as a constituent part of many coatings and commonly-used products such as Artex. One of the places that asbestos is commonly found is as a part of materials such as floor and ceiling tiles, after having been bonded with other materials such as vinyl. Unfortunately, however, since the heyday of asbestos it has been established that this material actually poses a number of significant h ..read more

Asbestos has been entirely banned from use in the UK since 1999, but this hazardous substance can still be found in properties across the country. For many years, asbestos was used for its many positive properties in the construction sector. The material is excellent for insulation and sound proofing, and while ground to powder it can be added to concrete mixes and coatings to provide them with added strength and durability. Unfortunately, however, in the wrong state, asbestos can be highly damaging to human health. In fact, it can cause major problems at any kind of demolition or large-scale ..read more

Asbestos is naturally occurring material that has been banned from use in the UK for more than 20 years. Unfortunately, prior to be banned it was a substance that was commonly used for a wide range of construction and decorating purposes in residential, commercial and industrial properties. The material is banned because exposure to asbestos fibres can be harmful to human health – especially if that exposure is significant and occurs over a long period of time. Naturally, then, it can be very concerning if you believe that you have found asbestos in your property or place of work. Being expose ..read more

Asbestos is a naturally-occurring substance that was used for a number of years as a building material due to its range of useful properties. Unfortunately, asbestos can also be dangerous, and it is best to avoid it if at all possible. People who come into contact with asbestos are at risk of developing a number of health problems – and it is at its most dangerous when the asbestos is damaged or disturbed and fibres are able to get into the air. It should also be noted that not everyone who comes into contact with asbestos will develop health problems, however, symptoms and signs of very serio ..read more