Exposed Asbestos Floor Tiles

If the material is in good condition it normally does not pose a threat because the asbestos is enclosed in vinyl preventing the fibers from escaping.

Exposed asbestos floor tiles.

Working with asbestos flooring can release toxic dust. But when you re exposed at such low levels it s unlikely to make you sick. This article summarizes the probable risk of asbestos exposure from asbestos containing floor tiles or sheet flooring as depending on the condition covering and location of the floor. Asbestos is most dangerous in its friable state in which tiny light fibers float through the air and can easily be spread or ingested or aspirated by humans.

Resilient sheet flooring containing asbestos was also produced finding wide use as early as 1968. Asbestos floor tiles will not release toxic fibers and pose a health risk unless they are disturbed. That way no one will be endangered years from now when they start to rip up the new flooring and find asbestos tiles beneath. As you can see this method is not an exact science.

Asbestos in floor tiles in floor tiles asbestos is used primarily for its insulation properties and its ability to resist fire. However as a favor to future owners of your house make some note of the fact that asbestos tiles are under the new flooring. You could also cover the tiles with new vinyl flooring linoleum or even ceramic tiles. If the tiles or the floor beneath show oily discoloration the tiles very likely contain asbestos.

Tiles that are disintegrating should be handled with extreme care. Old vinyl products that contain asbestos remain in many buildings across the u s creating a hazard for contractors and do it yourself renovators. Vinyl tiles with asbestos. We also provide a master index to this topic or you can try the page top or bottom search box as a quick way to find information you need.

In addition to the tiles themselves a layer of mastic a type of adhesive below the tiles is also likely to contain asbestos. It s in the air water and soil. The only state in which asbestos is truly safe is when it is not exposed to an activity that may abrade it such as sanding it or even walking on it over time. Armstrong produced the excelon tile series beginning with a plastic asbestos floor tile series in 1954 referring to the product as vinyl plastic asbestos floor tiles beginning in 1955 and vinyl asbestos tiles from 1957 to 1980.

Vinyl is a type of plastic that has long been a popular material for floor tiles and sheets. Asbestos is so common that everyone has been around it at some point.