Asbestos in the home and what to do
Where you might find asbestos in the home:
- Eaves, gutters and rainwater fall pipes
- Fire blankets
- Boilers
- Garage and shed roofs
- Linings for walls, ceilings and doors
- Insulation panels in some storage heaters
- Bath panels
- Central-heating flues
- Loose asbestos packing between floors and in partition walls
- Floor tiles
- Ironing boards
- Ceiling finishes.
Tenants – what to do if you think there is asbestos in your home
If the material is damaged, try to close the area by shutting the door or putting something over or in front of the asbestos. Do not damage the material and do not clear up any mess yourself, unless you are trained to do so and have the correct safety equipment.
Council or housing association homes
Contact your landlord or managing agent and ask to have the material assessed, repaired or removed.
Private homes
Contact your landlord or managing agent and ask to have the material assessed, repaired or removed.
Homeowners – what to do if you think there is asbestos in your home
We can give you advice. Contact at PP-Asbestos@newham.gov.uk or phone 020 3373 9883/4.
You will have to pay for any tests and work to solve the problem.
You can find information about contractors licensed to remove asbestos on these websites:
- Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
- Asbestos Removal Contractors Association (ARCA)
- United Kingdom Accreditation Service and on the website there are details of companies which test air quality before and after this type of work.
Generally, asbestos is only a risk if you disturb or damage it and release fibres into the air. If asbestos is in good condition and in a place where it will not be disturbed or damaged, then it is safer to leave it where it is and manage any risks.
Asbestos cement
Asbestos cement is often used in the roofing and wall panels of garages and garden sheds. These panels are unlikely to release large amounts of fibres, because of the way they were made.
You do not have to remove asbestos. If it’s in good condition leave it alone. If your garage or shed roof starts to leak, you can repair it. But make sure you don’t scratch the surface of the panels when you make the repair. It is at this point that most people will decide to replace the asbestos panels.
We advise that you use a contractor with a licence to remove asbestos.
But if you have the right training and the right equipment you can do it yourself:
- The right disposable protective clothing
- A P3 filtering breathing mask
- Thick polythene sheeting to wrap the panels in to get rid of them.
If you do the work yourself, take precautions:
- Prepare the work area – remove any unnecessary items, cover the floor and surfaces with disposable (throwaway) polythene sheeting (from builders' merchants)
- Wear protective clothing – disposable overall with hood, disposable P3 filtering face mask (for use with asbestos) and rubber or disposable gloves
- Damp down – use a plant sprayer or hosepipe but don't soak the area as this will make cleaning up more difficult
- Remove the asbestos without breaking it up – wrap it in polythene sheeting or bags and seal with tape
- Look at the area carefully and clear up any debris by hand – wipe down with disposable damp clothes; never use a vacuum cleaner as this will just spread dust around
- Pick up polythene sheeting and remove protective clothing
- Get rid of it as hazardous waste. Wash your hands and face after you finish the job.
The HSE has guides to help you. They give essential advice on removing and looking after asbestos. You can find the link to the website in the next section.
Other types of asbestos
See the Asbestos Essentials guides on the HSE website.
What about asbestos in other buildings?
We work with other council services to make sure that we manage asbestos in our non-domestic properties, which include industrial, commercial and public buildings. For more information, go to our Managing asbestos in non-domestic buildings page.
