Asbestos was once a prolific construction material for homes and buildings because of its’ affordability and durability.

Hundreds of thousands of homes in Australia were constructed using asbestos until the 1980’s, but asbestos containing materials were only banned throughout Australia in December 2003.

Time and again, remains of asbestos contamination is discovered in homes, especially with the popularity of DIY renovations and house flipping.

Asbestos can be found in floor tiles, walls, ceilings, insulation and pipe cement.

Here are 5 signs that there may be asbestos materials in your property:

• If your property was built before or during the 80’s.
• If it has flat corrugated or bitumen roofing.
• If it has flooring tiles 9 x 9 inches in size.
• If it has vinyl tiles, vinyl sheets with paper or millboard
• Some properties may have asbestos used as insulation for pipes
• Old ceilings may be made of asbestos cement sheet ( check cover traps, light bases and vent cover for asbestos)

If your property is contaminated, do not disturb the asbestos if it is in good shape, as you could dismantle fibres that could come out in the air and permeate your body as you breathe in.

Scrubbing or cleaning asbestos materials is a big no-no for the same reason.

If you suspect your property is contaminated with asbestos, inform the local authority and arrange  abatement by a licenced contractor.

You cannot remove asbestos by yourself- only a government approved contractor can remove asbestos containing materials.

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