Asbestos Flooring Easy Or Hard To Remove
When you remove that floor covering to make way for new flooring you may encounter the mastic and wonder whether it is safe to remove the main concern surrounding this question is that black mastic often contains asbestos.
Asbestos flooring easy or hard to remove. Equipment for safe asbestos flooring removal includes. If you want or need to remove asbestos yourself there are a number of steps and precautions. Asbestos adhesive was used for asphalt flooring tiles and vinyl or linoleum sheet tile because it strengthened the flooring and made it more durable. This is why we often find vinyl asbestos tile underneath other kinds of floor coverings like carpet or even sheet vinyl.
Asbestos removal is a hazardous process best undertaken only by a qualified professional. While this document is specifically addressed to building owners and contractors in the u s. Plastic sheets to seal off the work area. The safest removal option is to have an asbestos remediation contractor remove the old tiles at a cost of between 6 and 10 per square foot depending on where you live the condition of the.
Even though most government health and environmental agencies strongly urge homeowners to hire a contractor to remove asbestos it is possible to remove it yourself. Photo by russell kaye i m told that the old vinyl floor tiles in the basement of our 1950 house contain asbestos and that i should not try to remove the tiles but cover them with wall to wall. State of oregon it s advice is clear simple easy to follow and will be helpful for anyone concerned with the need to remove asphalt asbestos or vinyl asbestos flooring or to handle asbestos suspect floor tiles. This happens when improper removal takes place during aggressive demolition causing the tiles to break apart into small pieces.
But then asbestos was found to be a health hazard. The floor tiles are only harmful when the asbestos particles are made into airborne dust. It was also resistant to moisture oil grease heat alkalis and acids. To do the job without putting yourself or your household at risk you need to take the same precautions as the professionals.
If you are removing the original vinyl floor from a home prior to 1980 you will need to locate a licensed asbestos abatement contractor to test your floor. The high cost of asbestos removal alone may keep some people from hiring a contractor. Before you remove asbestos flooring yourself you must check the state and city regulations for asbestos removal and disposal. In many cases installing a new floor over the tiles encapsulates the asbestos fibers and is an acceptable way to manage the material.
Asbestos found in the vinyl floor tiles at the toh tv project house means a state licensed and well protected abatement crew must do the removal.