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Just pulled the carpet up in an upstairs bedroom ready for new carpet tomorrow and there is a cemented area infront of the fireplace.
Could this be asbestos?
The dimples in the surface are caused by the underlay, I can’t see any fibres. Should I be worried? House was built 1895.
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0WqTJ1N6Lz3ljDVdn7xqozbCg
You would need to get a bit tested.
Best thing you can do is leave it alone and just put a new carpet down on top of it.
Could this be asbestos?
Could be? AFAIK the only way of telling for sure is to send off a sample for testing.
Should I be worried?
Probably not if it's intact and undisturbed.
There is a few cracks in it and it has gone a bit crumbly
Not going to hurt you where it is, just leave alone.
Plenty of Marley tile under my carpet as is plenty of others, removing a it is going to be far more harmful than leaving it I’d assume.
Could be, might not be. If it is its AIB or similar its the nastier end of the asbestos scale. You could pour neat PVA over it to bind the top surface. But as above without testing you wint know for certain. If it is and you want it removing it will be more than the cost of a new carpet...
Ah, I just shined a torch on it and looked closely, I might be wrong but I think I can see a few fibres in it. Looked in my daughters room and that has something similar too.
Carpet fitter arrives tomorrow at 9AM, not sure what to do. I guess I can take a sample, then if it is the nasty stuff, might need to get it removed. It’s got a big crack in it and has risen up a bit in the center so has a bit of spring in it if that makes sense, so might be shedding particles when people walk on it.
Ah, I just shined a torch on it and looked closely, I might be wrong but I think I can see a few fibres in it.
This means nothing. There is no way to determine asbestos content visually unless you have a microscope and the appropriate training.
I can take a sample
I wouldn’t. I’d get your local asbestos company to take a sample and test it. It’s not expensive. About £50-ish.
+1 for PVA coating to hold it all together for the fitters. Several thin coats as it drys quickly. If you use a brush, double or treble wrap it in plastic before throwing it away to land fill.
Victorian house? Edit, yes just seen the date.
I smashed a similar looking hearth base out of our house. Didn't even consider it may be asbestos! Looked and appeared when broken up to be concrete.
Encapsulate it in pva and don't fret. You're more at risk disturbing it.
Going to B&q now to get some PVA
How much should I dilute it?
Just looks like a concrete constructional hearth to me... :-/
That's just the constructional hearth. If it's a Victorian house or similar it won't have asbestos in it. In fact I can't think of a good reason for adding asbestos to a constructional hearth, even if it was built in the 70s.
Seeing as you showed us yours I'll show you mine 😃
https://photos.app.goo.gl/6eDigZM7R5ghWKLb9
Seal it and be done.......
You won’t be happy with the cost of asbestos removal.
Edit, that looks just like the floor of my new house (been in 5 year) its a 10mm coat of bitumen over concrete, this, I believe was the norm in the 70s before DPM under concrete slab was building reg.
Problem I had was damp rising through it because of years of carpet gripper rod nails being hammered into it and cracking the seal.
I sealed it with cold pour bitumen and it’s been fine since,,, 5 years and no smell of damp.
PVA not recommended due to it being water based 🙂