If it aint one worry, it's another

[Jaco45er]

So I am doing up my house and the soon to be utility room (don't ask me, some room with washing machines n stuff) has a crappy looking ceiling (old garage) and has to go.

As I pulled down one panel, it strikes me, this is feckin asbestos. It's split, crap everywhere and I am sure it's asbestos.

1st thing I do is shut the door to the kitchen (no family in thank feck) chuck the clothes in the washer, and scrub down.

I am no expert, I call the local council to find out if it could be asbestos (house circa late 1960's), local council are as useful as a trap door on a canoe. They give me the number of the local "approved" contractor.

Once I have made the call, I am put through to an arrogant muppet who makes Nick Cotton look friendly. He explains to me the dangers of asbestos, then I explain that this is the reason for the call (no sh*t Sherlock, is asbestos dangerous? I am lonely and just want a chat u dipstick).

After he describes the intricate details of the damaging effects of asbestos (anxiety rising at this point) he assures me that they can do the following:

Seal the house

Monitor the air

Remove the boards (2 off, no bigger than 6 x 4, 2 min job)

inform the HSE

will take 14 days of monitoring

I got a plasterer coming next week and them feckers are like gold dust to track down.

To top it all, they are willing to charge £1,050 + the Vodka and Tonic for their troubles to remove the last boards.

It's a new concept for me, it was always the heart anxiety I had, now I have lung anxiety.

Anyone had experience with household asbestos?

[anxious]

Hi Jaco,

my dad was in the building trade for years and has come into contact with it many times. We've talked about this lots in the past as i worked with him and often saw it in garages etc. If its not a lot (two sheets you mention?) i'd be tempted to remove it myself obviously taking precautions.
We were once doing a house up and it was found in a dumb waiter, we had to call a company out and they came white space suits, shower units etc it was pretty scarey stuf BUT they work with it daily.
I found this
Removing asbestos yourself

You may be able to remove small amounts of asbestos yourself, although you must take safety precautions and dispose of it safely.

Keep other people away from the working area.
Wear disposable overalls and a dust mask approved for asbestos.
Spread a plastic sheet under the work area to collect any dust.
Wet the material you'll be removing with water and a small amount of washing up liquid (make sure the water doesn't come into contact with any electricity).
Don't use power tools - use hand tools instead.
If at all possible, don't break up the asbestos material, remove it in one piece.
Place everything you remove in strong plastic bags, or wrap large materials in polythene.
Use a damp cloth to clean up any dust, then seal the cloths in a plastic bag while still damp. Don't use a broom, or a vacuum cleaner, as asbestos dust may pass through the filter.
Once the dust is cleared up and all materials are sealed in plastic bags, remove your overalls and mask carefully and seal them up too.
Write 'asbestos' clearly on all the disposal bags.
Wash yourself thoroughly.
Don't put the bags in the rubbish bin. Contact your local council (http://scotland.shelter.org.uk/getadvice/advice_topics/repairs_and_bad_conditions/home_safety/?a=26010) to find out where you need to take the materials to dispose of them safely. Some councils may arrange to collect them from you.Don't attempt to remove asbestos products from gas or electrical systems yourself - call in a registered professional for advice.

Be interesting to see what others say,

anx xx

Its quite common in buildings from 1950-1980 and is only really a problem when its broken or you are breaking it up to remove it.

[EmmaJane]

LOL.... Yeah I understand the anxiety. We have a similar problem with this at the moment. Council were C**P here aswell. We had to make an insurance claim in the kitchen and had the ceiling tested. It is asbestos positive the white one??

Our house is 1968. So gues the whole ceilings are now asbestos positive. (oh what fun)

[mothermac]

We had asbestos guttering up until 2 years ago and I had always fancied the nice white upvc type so contacted a young man down the road who worked for a upvc company at the time and asked him if he could do it for me,he came and started tearing it down,when I said watch what you are doing he just laughed and said "for God's sake I will be here all day if I worried about things like that"people laugh at me because I always feel that you have to do something right all the time even to great cost to yourself,if you feel as though the professional cost of removing it is ridiculous and you don't mind removing it yourself then go ahead but remember if you know deep down you would worry later on that you did everything to the book cos it's dangerous stuff then I would pay the dosh and do it properly-good luck!.

[Jaco45er]

Cheers guys

Interesting stuff anxious. I spoke to a mate in the trade last night and his dad worked on these houses. His dad reckons they never used asbestos in these ceilings, it's a substitute called superlux? I have never heard of it myself.

My neighbour who has an identical house is positive it is asbestos, and everything I read says its very hard to tell it from the substitute stuff, you have to have it analysed at a lab.

In the cold light of day I am begining to feel like I am over-reacting. I have cabled up countless buildings, hospitals, goverment establishments etc and must have come across asbestos a million times.

What really annoys me though, is the council's wishy washy approach to it. The goverment are quick to tell us "ooo it's dangerous, doom you are all doomed" then can only offer contact details of contractors who, quite frankly want to take you to the cleaners.

I think you are right Spaced, I am going to wait till the plasterer (a mate) comes on Thursday, show him anxious's post (cheers for that :)) and I think we will take it out ourselves ans I shall just pay for proper disposal.

Mothermac I had to read that twice, I thought it said you fancied the nice young man ;). I am a perfectionist mothermac so I tend to do everything workwise by the book, but I really feel I am over-reacting.

My other option is so seal it up and board over it, but apparantly you have to declare that, but not declare if you remove it.

The goverment pfffft, they couldn't organise a party in a brewery.

Cheers all