Asbestos worries

I've had anxiety since I was pregnant with my daughter and it's almost always centred around my kids and their health.

Over the past week I've got really anxious over our garage. We've lived here for 9 years and the garage has always leaked (only a little and only in a couple of places). It's almost certainly an asbestos cement roof. It's always bothered me so the kids have never been allowed in there but a long time ago we used to store some of their garden toys in there (the dry side away from the leak). For some reason I've started to panic about it and worry their toys might have been contaminated in the past. I know there's nothing I can do but it's woken me in the night and my heart has been racing. I've managed to make myself feel sick and exhausted. I am already having counselling for my anxieties over the kids' health but this has been on a whole new level this week.

Any help would be really appreciated. Thanks.

There's nothing to worry about, really.

The asbestos content in that material is less than 5% and it's very tightly bound in to the material - the only potential danger comes from cutting or drilling the stuff and even then, the risk is cumulative. It's 'benign' enough that you don't even need a licence to remove it or carry it, and nominated domestic tips will accept it as long as you bring it in their bags and follow their procedures for doing so.

Thank you so much for your reply. I've been ridiculously worried. My head is pounding today. I need to get some perspective on it and your reply has helped. Thanks again.

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Originally Posted by ccake79

I've had anxiety since I was pregnant with my daughter and it's almost always centred around my kids and their health.

Over the past week I've got really anxious over our garage. We've lived here for 9 years and the garage has always leaked (only a little and only in a couple of places). It's almost certainly an asbestos cement roof. It's always bothered me so the kids have never been allowed in there but a long time ago we used to store some of their garden toys in there (the dry side away from the leak). For some reason I've started to panic about it and worry their toys might have been contaminated in the past. I know there's nothing I can do but it's woken me in the night and my heart has been racing. I've managed to make myself feel sick and exhausted. I am already having counselling for my anxieties over the kids' health but this has been on a whole new level this week.

Any help would be really appreciated. Thanks.

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As an electrician, I have encountered several situations where asbestos in the workplace has become a problem.

I did an asbestos awareness course, and what I learned from that course is that asbestos itself, when intact and not being cut or extremely damaged, is very safe. Asbestos cement is also safer still, because it has a net content of between 5-15% asbestos. For you or your children to be harmed by the asbestos, it would need to be extremely damaged, and you would need to inhale the fibres consistently over a period of time, ie everyday for three years (but I won't speculate on the exact times, its just an example).

In your case, I don't think that asbestos is any need for concern. Contact your local council if it bothers you, as they should be able to send someone to remove it.

I think I'll probably get it removed at some point as it does bother me, but thanks for your reply. It's reassuring.

Well I went and got a company to test some of the roof and it turns out it contains both white and blue asbestos. I've just had a full on panic attack even though they also rated it as low risk and my husband's had to try to calm me down. I feel sick with worry. Definitely need to get it removed now as I hate the thought of anyone going in there.

As Pamplamousse says, the fibres are very well bonded to the cement in those cement roof sheets. It’s only a problem if you are drilling or removing them without proper precautions and even then they are low risk from my understanding.

I imagine an asbestos company deeming something low risk is probably the safest rating they could give something that does have some asbestos in it. They can’t say it’s no risk because it’s not safe to drill into or someone could fall through it if they were up on the roof for some reason. As long as it’s not tampered with there shouldn’t be any risk at all.

That being said, it would be a good idea to get it removed when you can afford it, purely for your peace of mind.

So today I had another panic about the roof. My husband has been putting bits from the loft into the garage so that the garage clearance company can take them (being emptied next week and then roof replaced). He walked in and out of the garage and up and down our hall and kitchen. I've just had to mop the whole floor. Then I felt stupid for mopping the floor but slightly less panicked. I worry he's walking where water has got through the roof and onto the floor and that because the cement roof has blue asbestos that this will be in the water and then he's contaminating the house!

Then I feel like I need more medication and a talk with my counsellor! I'm so mad at myself for feeling the way I do. I desperately want my mind to be the way it was 😔

Edit: I don't think I helps today would have been my parents' golden wedding anniversary, if my dad hadn't died from cancer a few years ago.

My husband is still sorting out the garage and I've managed to get angry with him today as he has put some old toys that were in there into a new shed that I'd bought. I got annoyed he contaminated the new shed and the kids' current bikes etc. He'd cleaned all the stuff but I still feel like they're contaminated. He ends up feeling awful that I'm upset and then I feel like I've overreacted.

I have counselling next week and I've booked in to try hypnotherapy the week after. I'm hoping that will help, but is there anything anyone can suggest that might help 'in the moment'? I feel really sad that I'm now making my husband stressed when he's just trying to help...