Why do I need an asbestos survey?
Before any repair, maintenance, or renovation can be carried out in a property, it is West North West homes Leeds' legal duty to tell the builders, electricians, etc. if there is asbestos present in the area that they will be working. The information that we receive about your home will be stored on an asbestos database which can then can be used if you need any work to be carried out on your home in the future or if you decide to buy your home.
Where might there be asbestos in my home?
Up to the 1980s asbestos was used in a variety of products found in the home, including: textured wall coatings, cement panels in heater cupboards and gardens sheds, guttering and soffits, and even toilet cisterns!
Does this mean that there are dangerous materials in my home?
The word ‘asbestos’ strikes fear into many hearts; but if asbestos is found in your home it doesn’t mean that you are being exposed to dangerous materials. Asbestos causes problems when fibres are released into the air. Many of the asbestos products commonly found in the home do not release fibres because they are in good condition or are mixed with materials that hold the asbestos together. Textured wall coatings, one of the most common asbestos products found in the home, may contain a trace amount of asbestos (in those produced up to 1985) but this asbestos does not pose a risk to your health as it is bonded together and fibres cannot be released into the air.
What will the asbestos surveyor do?
The surveyor will come into your home and look for materials that might contain asbestos. He or she will look at your textured wall coatings, at your meter and heater cupboards, bath panels, toilet cisterns and anything that could possibly contain asbestos. The surveyor will take a small sample (taking care not to disturb your decorations, when possible), will take a photograph of the area that the sample has been taken from, and then will take all the samples to the laboratory. The samples are examined under a microscope and an analyst searches for asbestos fibres. The results are then passed to the person responsible for the work to be carried out on your home.
What happens if asbestos is found in my home?
Don’t panic! If asbestos is found in your home and is likely to be disturbed during the upcoming repairs/renovations then it will be removed carefully. Products such as textured wall coatings and asbestos insulation board must be removed by specialist asbestos removers. This does not mean that work to your property will be delayed, but simply that a different approach has to be taken to the job.
Further information can be found in your tenants' handbook or by clicking on the links to the right of this page.