Where is asbestos found?
Asbestos was used in dozens of building products until it was banned in 1999. In any property built or refurbished before 2000, these are the places to have checked.
Common locations
- Artex and textured coatings on ceilings and walls
- Garage and shed roofs, and corrugated cement sheeting
- Soffits, fascias, gutters and downpipes
- Floor tiles and the black bitumen adhesive beneath them
- Pipe and boiler lagging, and insulation board around boilers
- Cold water tanks and toilet cisterns in asbestos cement
Common questions
Why is asbestos dangerous?
When asbestos-containing materials are disturbed they release microscopic fibres that, if breathed in, can lodge in the lungs and cause serious diseases — including asbestosis and mesothelioma — often decades later. That's why intact material is left undisturbed and any work that could release fibres is controlled or done by professionals.
What happens if asbestos is accidentally disturbed?
If you've drilled, sanded or broken a material you think may contain asbestos, stop work, keep people out of the area, and don't sweep or vacuum the debris. Fibres may have been released. Get the material tested and the area assessed — air testing can confirm whether it's safe, and any contamination can be cleaned up properly.
Where is asbestos most commonly found in a house?
Common locations include artex ceilings and walls, garage and shed roofs, soffits and gutters, floor tiles and their black adhesive, pipe and boiler lagging, insulation board around boilers and behind panels, and asbestos cement water tanks in the loft. A survey checks all the likely spots.