Asbestos surveys: protecting your property and health when buying a home

Buying a home is one of the biggest financial investments that you'll undertake in your life. Moving home is also understood to be one of the top five most stressful things to occur in your life. 

So, you'll want to ensure that not only your investment is protected with a suitable survey, but also, you'll want to know detailed information about the property's condition and what to do about problems that have been identified, particularly when it comes to the existence of worrying problems like asbestos.

Here we look at what a detailed survey will cover when it comes to the identification of asbestos and what the chartered surveyor you've appointed will look for, and what they will check and verify during their investigations.

Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral that has crystallised to form the dense fibres. It's easy to see why it was acclaimed as being a wonder material, because it is heat- and fire-resistant, it has an incredible strength and is correspondingly light, it won't dissolve in water, and it can withstand high degradation from the effect of chemicals. 

Discovered over four thousand years ago, asbestos only really came into its own in the nineteenth century when it was used to develop and mass produce construction materials. As such, asbestos became much favoured in building new homes, office spaces, shops and other amenities, mostly in the mid to later part of twentieth century as the country had to deal with the huge postwar demand for reconstruction.

There are three familiar types of asbestos: 

• white asbestos (chrysotile) - this is the most familiar asbestos, and it was used in roofs, ceilings, floors, chimney linings and walls on many structures from private homes and schools to offices and public areas (such as railway stations) as a way of containing any fire that broke out. It can also be found in some older fire blankets, and various domestic items such as the heat pad of an ironing board.
• blue asbestos (crocidolite) - often used in a spray form, it was commonly used to coat and lag hot pipes and in industry where high heat needed to be protected. It was also used in the creation of some insulation and construction materials.
• brown asbestos (amosite) - most often used for thermal insulation and lagging boilers and pipes.

In addition, there are three other types of asbestos, which are far less common, particularly when it comes to its use in the construction industry:

• actinolite - which can be found in some cements, insulation and roofing materials.
• anthophyllite - which can be found in some cement mixes and insulation products.
• Tremolite - which has not been used commercially but is a contaminant that has been found in plumbing and roofing materials, sealants and paint.

It was the period between the wars that saw detailed scientific analyses of the illnesses that were being presented to doctors, the symptoms of which were difficulty in breathing with a heavy, persistent cough and lung scarring being a dominant factor. Other symptoms include wheezing, extreme fatigue, pains emanating from the chest or shoulders, and, in the extreme, swollen finger-tips.

Further investigation in the US in the fifties identified a causal link between exposure to asbestos fibres and mesothelioma (more popularly known as asbestosis), which is a form of lung cancer that is triggered by inhalation of the small asbestos fibres. The fibres have since been categorised as a known carcinogen.

There is no cure for the medical complaints derived from asbestos fibres, although medication and other treatments can help to alleviate the symptoms. It should be noted, too, that sometimes there are no symptoms and that, if exposed to asbestos fibres, it may take two or three decades before any symptoms begin to show.

The high risk and danger to human health led to brown and blue asbestos being banned from use from 1985 onwards, with a complete ban on any asbestos products, including the most common white asbestos, coming into force in 1999 in the UK.

While that ban officially prevents any future construction and product development from including any kind of asbestos, the problem exists that asbestos is still prevalent in pre-existing structures and in the use of some materials, particularly in areas where heat and fire risk need to be managed - this includes backing for boilers, kitchen apparatus, bathrooms, ceilings, garages and indeed anywhere in the home that was designed to help prevent the spread of flames in the event of a fire.

While the idea of the illnesses that can be caused by asbestos fibres is worrying and might be off-putting if you have any reason to wonder if there is asbestos present in the home you are thinking of buying, its existence does not necessarily equate to an immediate health risk.

Any asbestos ideally needs to be removed - in fact, it is a legal requirement to remove asbestos if a building is being significantly renovated - but, if it is undisturbed, the risk to health is very low.

It is only by moving the asbestos, or by breaking the sheets or damaging them in any way that the potentially dangerous fibres are released into the air and can be breathed in.

This is why careful consideration needs to be given to its identification and, upon confirmation, generating a plan for its safe removal.

Generally speaking, the older the property, the more likely it is to have some element of asbestos that has been used somewhere in its construction.

That's assuming that the seller hasn't got documentation and certification to show that any asbestos that was there has been safely removed.

Most local councils have a waste disposal process in place for the removal of asbestos from a residential setting - but this is usually only for removal by the resident and not for trade waste. A nominal charge is usually made for the taking asbestos to the tip, and there will be rules governing how it is prepared for waste disposal, since asbestos is classified as hazardous waste. More details about asbestos in homes can be found on the government website.

Once you have had your offer confirmed by the seller, it is always wise to take out a Homebuyers Report or a RICS Level 3 Survey, which will detail any concerns with any aspect of the house (the Level 3 Survey is much more detailed and is generally recommended for properties constructed before 1900 or of an unusual construction or use of materials or is listed, but can be applied to any home).

Using their knowledge, skills and experience, a chartered surveyor will investigate the property for key indicators of the existence of asbestos.

Typical areas for investigation include:

• Asbestos cement products in pipes, flues, roofs, chimneys
• Lagging on pipes, boilers, central heating systems
• Water tanks in roof space
• Asbestos insulating board
• Loose asbestos in wall cavities and ceilings
• Sprayed coatings on ceilings, floors and walls
• Textured decorative coatings (Artex)
• Floor and ceiling tiles
• Textiles and other composites

More information on what to look for can be found on the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website.

The surveyor may advise precautionary additional steps, which will include testing the substances identified to confirm whether they are formed from asbestos or not, which will also identify the type of asbestos involved if it is verified as being present.

The surveyor will also strongly recommend using a licensed asbestos firm to perform a detailed survey, providing analysis of the property to confirm the existence of asbestos, its locations, and the recommendations for its removal. They will also provide a quote for the cost of dealing with the material legally and safely.

If you are buying a property that has tested conclusively for asbestos, this information held in the surveyor's report may help you to renegotiate the asking price with the seller to go towards the cost of any remedial work to remove the material and to resolving the impact with any rebuilding and redecoration that might be required.

While it is not illegal to carry out the removal of asbestos by yourself, unless you are licensed and qualified to do so, the HSE strongly cautions against the idea, and rigidly discourages non-licensed removal. Instead, it is far better to employ a qualified firm, licensed by the HSE, to come in and perform the extraction. 

The first step is to bring in an expert surveyor, accredited by the UK Accreditation Service (AKAS), to conduct a thorough survey of the property. With their accreditation, they will have shown that they have the knowledge and expertise to identify asbestos and asbestos-containing materials. They will also have the expertise to take suitable samples for testing.

These samples will be sent away for laboratory testing to confirm the existence of asbestos and what specific type it is (i.e. white, blue, or brown). From this, a licensed asbestos removal firm can generate a management plan for its safe and efficient removal.

The cost of the survey will vary by location, company and size of the problem, with the cost of samples for testing dependent on the number that have been taken.

If you should decide to remove the asbestos yourself, you'll need to ensure you follow all the requisite guidelines and wear the appropriate protection. Note, too, that disposal of this hazardous waste needs to be planned carefully, too, which is why it is simpler to employ a licensed contractor.

The HSE states that any suspected asbestos be left well alone, especially if it remains in good condition and is unlikely to become damaged through the usual use of the home; however, these materials should be checked on a regular basis to confirm that their condition remains the same and hasn't been damaged or begun to deteriorate. If they are slightly damaged, there is a possibility that they can be sealed or enclosed to avoid further problems, although removal might still be the best option.

It's also important to consider the implications of carrying out any renovations that might disturb any existing asbestos, since your plans might have to factor in the process and cost of removal. If you are getting workers in for any renovation projects, too, it is your duty to inform them of the existence of asbestos before they begin work so that they can avoid disturbing it in their work.

When you bring a firm in to remove the material, they are governed by a series of HSE directives to prevent (or at least reduce as much as possible) your exposure to asbestos, making arrangements to deal with any accidents, emergencies and incidents pertaining to the removal, and they are duty-bound to prevent (or at least reduce as far as is possible and practicable) the spread of asbestos fibres during the removal.

Using a licensed firm will also ensure you have the documentation and certification of the removal. This will be useful information when it comes to selling the property in the future as proof that any asbestos-related issues have been dealt with.

The cost of the asbestos removal is dependent on a number of factors, the primary one being the type of material, and how much there is of it to remove. For example, sheets of asbestos, or tiles containing asbestos are generally far easier to remove than foam that has been sprayed (e.g. for insulation and fire protection).

Much older properties are also more likely to have more asbestos-containing products than ones built after the bans on the substance were being put in place. Understandably, the greater the amount of asbestos in the property, the higher the cost of its removal will be.

One other consideration is the access to the areas with the asbestos-containing material. For example, tight roof-spaces, low-ceilinged cellars, behind complex heating systems and other places of awkward accessibility will need more effort and time to resolve.

As with all construction and demolition jobs, there will be a cost associated with the disposal of the materials. There are facilities for dealing with asbestos, which are licensed to handle it and to deal with the hazardous waste. Because they are not as common as standard recycling and refuse tips, there may also be a delivery cost associated with the project.

While Surveyor Local don't provide a detailed service when it comes to identifying and confirming the existence of asbestos, they will use their experience and knowledge to highlight the possibility wherever there is a query. This allows you to understand the level of risk and the need to get a detailed survey from an expert in asbestos matters.

Want to line up one of the best local Chartered Surveyors to look over your property and provide you with an expert and detailed survey that will also touch on the potential for the existence of asbestos? 

That's why it is really worth contacting Surveyor Local! 

Call  to get your survey quote started, or to discuss your concerns with the acquisition of your planned property and any issues with the cladding.