If your detached house was built before 1994, it probably contains asbestos-containing materials. Asbestos was such a commonly used building material that it can be found in almost all older houses. This guide will help you understand where asbestos may be present and what to do before renovating.
The most common asbestos sites in a detached house
Facade and exterior structures
- Façade plates - asbestos cement sheets (Minerit) were a very popular facade material
- Ceiling tiles - corrugated board ceilings often contain asbestos
- Eaves boards - asbestos cement board was a common material
Interiors
- Wall and ceiling fillers - especially those used in the 1960s to 1980s
- Floor materials - vinyl flooring, vinyl tiles and their adhesives
- Tile adhesives - under the bathroom and kitchen tiling
- Materials for chimneys and fireplaces - asbestos sheet in the protection of the flues
Technical rooms
- Pipe insulation - heat and water pipe insulation in the basement and technical rooms
- Insulation of ventilation ducts and gaskets
- The back plates of the electrical center - often asbestos cement board
Decades and typical materials
The use of asbestos varied in different decades:
- 1920-1950 - pipe insulation, fire protection materials, asbestos cement sheets
- 1960-1970 - the widest use: screeds, adhesives, floor materials, boards, insulation
- 1980-1993 - use is decreasing but still occurs especially in screeds and plates
How do you act as the owner of a detached house?
- Find out the year of construction - can be found in the building permit or in the real estate documents
- Order an asbestos survey before the renovation - the expert examines all materials that are affected by the renovation
- Plan the renovation based on the results - materials containing asbestos are first dismantled by an authorized company
- Keep the survey report - it is an important document also in a sales situation
The most important memory rule
Do not start removal work before surveying. Even a small-scale renovation must not begin without the asbestos content of the materials being determined. The asbestos survey of the detached house begins 119€ + VAT.