Tips On Asbestos Floor Tile RemovalAny flooring that contains mastic, glue or adhesive, or paper-like backing, and vinyl, asphalt floor tiles or vinyl sheets may contain asbestos as well. In the past, fibers of asbestos were used in the making of flooring materials to maximize the durability and strengthen the flooring. Though these floor tiles do not present a health hazard, they do pose a problem in terms of maintenance. Asbestos floor tile removal can be hazardous when the tiles become friable. The flooring made of asbestos can be weakened to its friable state by weathering, heat, aging and water. Any material that contains more than a percentage of asbestos that can be pulverized, crumbled or reduced to dust by hand pressure, is considered as friable flooring. Damaged flooring material, that was previously non friable, but has been impaired to the extent that it may get pulverized, or crumbled is also included as friable asbestos flooring. These flooring tiles can cause health hazards to those who are exposed to them.
Asbestos floor tile removal may have to be done during the remodeling of a house. Residential flooring that contains asbestos should be either removed or installed with new flooring. It is advisable to use the help of a licensed asbestos contractors for the removal of asbestos floor tiles. However, those who decide to remove these tiles on their own must follow a set of instructions in order to remove them safely. Here are some helpful tips: 1. Special equipments should be used for the purpose of asbestos floor tile removal. This includes personal protective equipment, utility knife , spray bottle/tank, metal putty knife, abrasive scrub pads , razor scraper, a mop/disposable towels, amended water, polyethylene sheeting, duct tape, waste disposal bags, and boxes. 2. The area to be worked on should be prepared in a way that it does not cause dispersal of asbestos fibers. All movable objects should be moved away from the work area to avoid any further contamination. The immovable objects should be sealed with duct tape after being covered well with polythene. Isolate the working area, by covering the vents and turning off the air conditioning or heaters, to avoid exposure. 3. To start the removal, wear protective coveralls and keep the equipments to be used in the working area, handy so that you dont have to go about searching for it This way, you would decrease further contamination and also reduce the number of times you might need to leave the affected area. 4. Wet the floor tiles with amended water, before you start removing the tiles. The water that has been amended would suppress the fibers from getting released. 5. It is best to remove the asbestos tiles from the edges. This can be done with the help of a hammer or putty knife. Here is a golden tip for you: The most feasible way to deal with asbestos floor tiles is to simply cover them up with an alternative flooring. |