Asbestos Testing

Inspect My Home have qualified asbestos consultants who carry out Asbestos Testing across Queensland, Western Australia (Perth) and New South Wales.

Asbestos-containing material (ACM) was widely used throughout Australia in the construction industry from around 1940 to mid-1980s. You could find it in some form or manner used in over 3,000 commonly used products such as insulation and vinyl tiles. Whilst the use of asbestos-containing material in new building systems has ceased, the presence of asbestos in older buildings is still widespread.

Forms of Asbestos

The term asbestos is a commercial and legal term covering several types of minerals, with some more commonly used in residential building material than others. The most commonly used form of asbestos is Chrysotile asbestos (or white asbestos) which was used in a range of industries and can be found in roofs, ceilings, walls and floors of homes and businesses. 

Crocidolite (blue asbestos) was less common in households and was traditionally used to insulate steam engines. However, brown asbestos, or Amosite, was used most frequently in cement and can still be found in insulating boards, ceiling tiles and thermal insulation products. Anthophyllite was also used for insulation products and construction materials, though not to the same extent as the brown type.

Asbestos Containing Materials

Asbestos-containing hazardous materials are still present in various forms that include, but are not restricted to:

• Hot water pipe insulation (lagging)
• Spray-on fireproofing (limpet)
• Roofing materials
• Fencing
• Vinyl floor tiles

• Gaskets
• Friction linings
• Piping
• Internal and external wall cladding
• Loosill insulation in the roof cavity

 

Asbestos Audit Reports

If you are purchasing a property which was constructed during this period and with potential asbestos, it may be prudent to have an audit carried out on the property by an asbestos consultant. During an asbestos survey, qualified assessors will collect samples from around your property. The asbestos sample will confirm the presence of any asbestos as analysed by a National Association of Testing Authority (NATA) accredited asbestos testing laboratory. If the identification of asbestos is successful, a management plan will be provided.

Asbestos Health Risks

Asbestos that crumbles quickly or has been sawed, scraped, or sanded into a powder is likely to release asbestos fibres and create a health hazard. When these particles of airborne fibres are inhaled or ingested by humans, mineral fibres can become permanently trapped in the body.

These trapped asbestos fibres can cause inflammation, scarring, and eventually genetic damage over the years. It can also cause rare and threatening cancer called mesothelioma, lung diseases, and other cancer forms.

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