Grassroots® | The Inspection Specialists

Home, Commercial and Environmental Inspections

1-800-774-2538

Order a Home Inspection
  • Inspection Services
    • Home Inspections
      • Home Inspection Services
        • Overview & Types of Inspections
        • Security Blanket Protection™
        • The Oops Inspection™
        • Ride Along Inspection™
        • Monster Free Inspections
      • 3 Questions to Ask Your Home Inspector
      • 5 Key Suggestions When Buying A Home
      • 7 Things To Ask Before Buying A Home
      • Order a Grassroots® Home Inspection
      • Request a Home Inspection Quotation
    • Commercial Inspections
      • Overview – Commercial Inspections
      • Types of Inspections
      • What Kinds of Buildings Are Inspected?
      • Order Commercial Inspection
      • Commercial Inspection Quote Request
    • Environmental Inspections
      • Overview – Environmental Inspections
      • Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Testing
      • Electro Magnetic Field (EMF) Testing
      • Environmental Site Assessments (ESA)
      • Order an Environmental Inspection
      • Request Environmental Inspection Quote
    • Litigation Support & Dispute Resolution
  • Request A Quote
    • Home Inspection Quote Request
    • Commercial Inspection Quote Request
    • Environmental Inspection Quote Request
  • Resources
    • Information Bulletins
    • Suggestions & Tips
    • All Resources – Alphabetical
    • Glossary of Housing Terms
    • Are You Looking For A Date?
  • Franchise Opportunities
    • Why a Grassroots® Home Inspection Franchise?
    • Be Part of the Grassroots® Inspection Team
    • The Grassroots® Inspect 2000™ Reporting System
    • Consider This . . .
    • About the Canadian Home Inspection Industry
  • About Us
  • Contact Grassroots®
  • Home

Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs) – Suggestions & Tips #20

July 10, 2015 by Grassroots Leave a Comment

asbestos_containing_materials

Asbestos has serious health, safety & environmental issues related to it. Various cancers and lung diseases have been associated with asbestos. People who smoke, children and young adults are at a somewhat higher risk. Concerns increase with asbestos when it is in a friable (readily crumbled; brittle) state. Although different diseases, inhaling microscopic asbestos fibres can cause mesothelioma and asbestosis .

The use of friable asbestos containing materials (ACMs) in building construction was legislatively banned in the mid-1970s (for specific products). The use of asbestos in all friable building materials was essentially phased out of use un the early 1980’s and legislatively banned in 1985/86. The use of asbestos in non-friable building materials (this including the industry defined “semi-friable” building materials such as plaster, acoustical ceiling tiles, vinyl sheet flooring and paper products), although not legislatively banned, was drastically reduced in building construction in the early 1980s. Occupational Health & Safety and Environmental Consulting industries have established 1985/86 as the year after which it is increasingly unlikely to encounter non-friable asbestos building materials employed in building construction.

Asbestos may be found in many areas of a building such as:

  • sprayed or towelled materials (e.g. plaster, drywall compound) applied onto walls, ceilings and other areas
  • insulation on pipes, boilers, tanks, ducts, and other equipment
  • acoustical plaster
  • wallboard
  • ceiling tiles
  • vinyl asbestos floor tiles
  • textiles (cloth, blankets, felts, theatre & welding curtains, tubing, sheets, cord, rope, yarn, tape)
  • paper products (corrugated, mill board)
  • roofing felts (shingles, smooth & mineral surface)
  • concrete-like products (extrusion panels, siding / clapboard & shingles, pipe)
  • thermal insulation (batts, blocks and pipe insulation) / vermiculite

Typically, samples of the materials are taken for lab testing to confirm the presence of asbestos. There may be potential liabilities associated with homes / buildings containing asbestos. For example, they may have a stigma attached to them that may affect the value of the home perhaps; there may be costs associated with any removal / disposal of asbestos; and or, costs associated with ensuring the area containing asbestos is sealed off from living spaces and remains undisturbed in the event renovations are contemplated.

If asbestos has been removed at some point from a home / building, we recommend you ascertain if this work was carried out correctly. If there is asbestos present in a building, contractors doing work in it may not work in that environment and require that their safety is protected or request the removal of the hazardous materials. If present, remedial action may be required that can be costly in some instances, for example, based on the quantities present, its’ location, etc.

In the event of a fire for example, any ACM might taint other building materials in the aftermath making the clean up / remediation work one which must deal with a contaminated site of hazardous materials. Some insurance companies may limit or refuse to provide coverage on home / buildings with asbestos, or they may require additional / higher premiums, modifications, and/or further inspections / testing.

Click here for more information on asbestos.

When inspecting buildings we are often asked questions concerning various topics. Some of these queries can relate to issues not within the scope of a typical inspection. That’s not to say that information about these topics would not be useful however. For that reason, we wanted to include information on some of these topics your further review.

NOTICE: The information contained on the grassroots.ca website is not intended to be exhaustive nor does it necessarily apply to all buildings, systems, components and the likes. While some information may be able to be “transferred” to a building you’re interested in, it should not automatically be applied to it necessarily. It may however simply act as a prompter for areas you may wish to explore further. As such, the information herein is for information purposes only. It’s not intended to be an exhaustive listing of any / all related issues. Always consult a professional before purchasing, leasing or selling a building, or if proceeding with or considering any work to a building. Seek further professional advice, and, analysis including at least three (3) quotations from various professional reputable & qualified contractors before proceeding with any contemplated work, repairs, improvements, and / or, modifications to a building, to better establish the scope of any / all concerns.

Filed Under: All, Attics, Heating & Cooling, Insulation, Insurance & Legal, Safety & Environmental, Suggestions & Tips Tagged With: acm, acoustical tiles, asbestos, asbestos containing materials, asbestosis, floor tiles, heat shield, mesothelioma, mud elbows, pipe wrap, radiant shield

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe to our mailing list

Email Address*

First Name

Last Name


 

Search Our Site

Resource Centre

  • All (230)
  • Attics (27)
  • Bathrooms (23)
  • Bedrooms (11)
  • Building Systems (18)
  • Design & Layout (23)
  • Electrical (33)
  • Exterior (19)
  • Exterior Issues (25)
  • Fireplaces & Chimneys (14)
  • Foundations & Basements (39)
  • Heating & Cooling (56)
  • Information Bulletins (58)
  • Insects & Vermin (10)
  • Insulation (29)
  • Insurance & Legal (42)
  • Interior Issues (21)
  • Kitchen (26)
  • Laundry (20)
  • Main Living Spaces (9)
  • Outbuildings (6)
  • Plumbing (50)
  • Property & Site (24)
  • Roof (32)
  • Safety & Environmental (99)
  • Staircases (9)
  • Suggestions & Tips (173)
  • Water Heater (13)

Recent Articles and News

Can’t I Buy A Home That’s Been Inspected?!?! – Suggestion & Tips #173

Multiple offers on a property? No time to get a home inspection done? Feel you need to present a “condition free” offer in order to get the house of your dreams? But what shape is the home that you … [Read More...]

Should Mortgage Lenders Insist Their Clients Have A Home Inspection? – Suggestion & Tips #172

Some mortgage lenders will not place a mortgage on certain homes because they have, for example, asbestos, vermiculite, UFFI (urea formaldehyde foam insulation), knob & tube wiring, 60 amp … [Read More...]

overhead-electrical-service-trees-vegetation

Overhead Electrical Service & Trees / Vegetation – Suggestions & Tips #171

As you might imagine, there are certain clearances that electrical wires / power lines must have, for example, when they cross over roads, driveways, roofs, pools, walkways and when near fire escapes, … [Read More...]

Get Social with Grassroots!

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Home Inspections

We do fantastic home inspections that tell you exactly what is wrong with your home. Buying a house? You'll love us because we help you avoid unpleasant surprises.
More >>

Commercial Inspections

When you purchase a commercial property, you'll want to know exactly what you're getting. Remember, you get what you inspect, not what you expect.
More >>

Environmental Inspections

Are you having problems with indoor air quality? We can do many types of specialized tests, including for mold, radon, CO2 and VOC.
More >>

Franchise Opportunties

Your future can be bright with a Grassroots® inspection franchise. We'll show you how to run a successful business based on helping people.
More >>

© 2021 · Grassroots® | The Inspection Specialists · Legal · Privacy · Website design and hosting by The Web For Business.com