May
Prior to knowing the toxic nature of asbestos it was used in a number of construction materials including flooring and insulation. Homes that are more than 20 years old may have asbestos floor tiles that could affect your health.
Asphalt asbestos and vinyl-asbestos floor tiles were produced in 9″ x 9″, 12″ x 12″, and even 18″ x 18″ as well as in decorative strips, and in thicknesses of 1/16″, 3/32″, and 1/8″, also in 0.08 gauge. Some sheet flooring or resilient flooring also contained asbestos, as did floor tile mastics.
Here Are Some Ways To Identify Asbestos Floor Tiles:
- Colour of the tiles: Asphalt-asbestos floor tiles were produced at first in dark colors using a heavy asphalt binder combined with a very high percentage of asbestos filler fibres. Not many are still in use today, so if you have black or very dark asphalt floor tiles they probably have a high concentration of asbestos fibres. However asbestos floor tiles were also available in different shades and patterns.
- Age of the tiles: Historical information about the dates of flooring installation is a good way to determine whether or not your flooring contains asbestos. Asphalt asbestos floor tiles, for instance, were popular in North America from 1920 into the 1960’s.
- Tile composition and installation literature: The package label information, combined with a simple comparison of tiles in the package with those installed is another means of finding out whether you have asbestos in your floor tiles. Try to locate the original packaging (if an extra box of floor tiles was kept for future repairs) or installation literature.
- Asbestos test or inspection: This is the only way to know for sure whether you have an asbestos problem as well as how best to deal with it. An independent laboratory analysis is usually employed to confirm the findings.
Asbestos products are safe as long as they are in good condition and the asbestos fibres cannot be released into the air.
Templar Environmental Services offers certified inspections to determine if your asbestos floor tiles are a health hazard.
Call Templar Environmental Services at 416.209.4857 or contact us online for complete asbestos removal and remediation.