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Asbestos: uses & facts

Since the late 1800s, friable asbestos products have been commonly used in commercial and industrial settings. They were used as fireproofing, soundproofing and insulation agents in building materials. Older houses often have friable asbestos-containing materials as these materials where used extensively in Australia from the mid-1940s until the late 1980s.

Asbestos is strong, heat resistant and has insulating properties. It is often mixed with other materials, such as cement, to produce a much better building product. Up to 90% of the asbestos materials produced, were used for the manufacture of building products, especially asbestos cement materials.

Many houses built before 1990 are most likely to contain asbestos cement materials, especially in the ceilings, internal and external cladding walls, in the eaves, wet areas such as bathrooms and laundries and fences. So, if your house was built in the mid-1980s-1990s, it is likely that it has or may have had, asbestos containing products.

Bathrooms and kitchens are rooms in a house which most people spend their time. It may surprise you to know that most older houses will have wet areas that ar emade of asbstos. This is why if your house was built before 1990s, you should consider having your home tested.

In bathrooms, toilets and the laundry, asbestos products are most likely found in cement sheeting on walls, ceilings, floors and backing to wall tiles. So, you are probably surrounded by deadly asbestos when you are doing your daily activities!

Meanwhile, asbestos can also be found in walls, splashbacks, vinyl floor tiles, ceilings, backing of vinyl sheet flooring and underlay sheeting for ceramic tiles in the kitchen. As we do many activities in both rooms, it is not impossible that we could disturb or break asbestos materials when going about our daily activities.  

As we already know, asbestos is dangerous. Besides risking your health, there are some disadvantages that you might face because your house has asbestos.

Here are some interesting facts about asbestos:

Asbestos materials lower your property’s value

Asbestos in a property causes more harm than good. Besides threatening your health, it can also decrease your property’s value by 50 percent. Moreover, your building can be difficult to rent.

You may get tax deduction if you own a contaminated property. Read more about tax deduction here: www.ato.gov.au

You may be fined for non-compliance

Australia has strict regulations on asbestos since it has one of the highest rates of asbestos-related diseases in the world. If a building contains asbestos materials, a property manager or a landlord has a responsibility to assure that it will cause no harm to building occupants. Thus, if you fail to identify the presence and location of asbestos at the premise, you may be fined and face penalties.

Read: www.commerce.wa.gov.au 

If you know that your property contains those life threatening material, don’t panic. Contact asbestos removal Geelong to save the life of your family. Always be smart and be safe.