Removing Floor Tiles Containing Asbestos

Many older homes have asbestos tiles for flooring.

Removing floor tiles containing asbestos.

Photo by russell kaye i m told that the old vinyl floor tiles in the basement of our 1950 house contain asbestos and that i should not try to remove the tiles but cover them with wall to wall. Removal is usually the most expensive method and unless required by state or local regulations should be the last option considered in most situations. Common in homes built in the 20th century black mastic was used as an adhesive for ceramic tile linoleum and other flooring materials. The asbestos floor tile identification articles in this series illustrate that with the combination of design appearance and an idea of floor tile age many asbestos containing floor tiles or sheet flooring products can be reliably identified even before confirmation by a test by a certified asbestos testing laboratory.

Resilient flooring is a nonfriable asbestos containing material as long as it s in good condition and as such no immediate action is necessary. In floor tiles asbestos is used primarily for its insulation properties and its ability to resist fire in addition to the tiles themselves a layer of mastic a type of adhesive below the tiles is also likely to contain asbestos. Clean larger areas with the class h vacuum cleaner if available and or damp rags. Asbestos in floor tiles.

Removing asbestos containing floor tiles should be considered a last resort. Nonfriable materials are those in which the asbestos is locked and cannot become airborne. But if you have a home built before the mid 20th century there is a good chance that the floor tiles contain asbestos. This is because removal poses the greatest risk of fiber release.

Unlike many asbestos containing materials vinyl asbestos flooring is generally safe to be around. When you remove that floor covering to make way for new flooring you may encounter the mastic and wonder whether it is safe to remove the main concern surrounding this question is that black mastic often contains asbestos. As time goes by and more homes are remodeled fewer homes contain asbestos tiles. The flooring tiles are 9 inch 12 inch or 18 inch squares.

A23 removing asbestos containing floor tiles and mastic spray water under the tiles to suppress dust as you lift them gently avoiding breakage cleaning and disposal where you have removed only a few tiles use damp rags to clean the floor. However removal may be required when remodeling. If removing the tiles is legal. But that changes as soon as you decide to remove it.

Asbestos found in the vinyl floor tiles at the toh tv project house means a state licensed and well protected abatement crew must do the removal.