Locating asbestos in a 1980s home

Chris Bombolas: Good day everyone. I'm here at this 1980s property with our asbestos expert, Stephen. Welcome Stephen. First up, how do we tell that this is a 1980s home? Stephen: What I've identified here is the brickwork, the style of the building. Not only that, the windows all are aluminum cast. You got the brick work which is typical of the style and also the style of the home. Part of it you've got like a nice facade, and then around it, you'll see there's different types of materials were used to highlight the building. Chris Bombolas: Let's go check it out. Stephen: Okay. We've moved into the kitchen area of this home and I can see that there is an asbestos container material within the ceiling. There's a V joint above the rafters, and you can actually see exposed cloud head nails. The rafters are exposed, which is indicative of the late seventies early eighties. I've come upstairs to here to the veranda of this dwelling and I'm looking at the top of the ceiling. There's a raked rafter ceiling and above that you can actually see where the paint has peeled off. It's in asbestos containing material, which would've been a hardy flex product. Also, I'm looking at the wall sheeting here. You can actually see the cloud head nails. This is a fibro product or an asbestos containing material, and it has been fixed by flex sheet nails. They're very tiny nails, but you can actually see this imprint is of an Oregon plank, and that's a joining strip. See, that's proud, and that plastic drawing sheet is actually part of the product. What I'm looking at is a full sheet panel. This is an asbestos container material. It's one of three products. This one's called a high line. There's also another product called cover line and shadow line. They are different profiles. I'm also looking at the soffits, and that's enclosed the roof area and that is an asbestos containing material as well and it goes around the perimeter of the whole building. We've come to the backyard of the property. I've also identified two disconnector traps which is the form work that goes around the waste pipes and then it's filled in with concrete. This is the vent pipe. It has to protect the vent pipe area. I've also noticed that there is a little bit of damage here on the wall sheeting. If there is a little bit of damage or fracture on it, you can actually apply a PBA glue over it and just brush over it and just monitor it until you decide what you want to do it. Underneath the veranda, I've identified that the homeowner has decided to use this space underneath as a storage facility so they put a ceiling up there and you can see the cloud head nails and it is of an asbestos containing material. I believe it is some form of sheeting and it could be a compressed sheet too. Internally here, you can actually see the dimpling effect and it's been painted. This is the inside panel of an asbestos containing material, but the homeowner has taken upon themselves and painted it, and it's quite safe. We've come to the bathroom. As you can see that's been renovated and according to the homeowner was renovated in the late nineties so all the asbestos containing material would've been pulled out and disposed of. Chris Bombolas: Stephen, you've taken us through this property. What should I do if I find asbestos at my place? Stephen: There's no problem with asbestos while it's in situ and it's painted. It's in good condition and there's no one abrading it or drilling in it could be left alone and it's safe. Chris Bombolas: Well, what's the safest way to remove it if I do find it? Stephen: Prior to doing the removal, is engage somebody that can actually do an asbestos survey for you. Somebody that's licensed to do so or an auto accredited lab. What they'll do is they'll find and identify the products and then you'll have a register and that register then you can take it to a removalist who are licensed to do the removal side, or to a builder who will engage a removalist. Chris Bombolas: I've got some mates who are tradies. Can they help with the removal? Stephen: As long as they've been trained and have the appropriate licenses. If they haven't got the appropriate licenses, they're not allowed to remove more than 10 square meters. They must follow the safe precautionary ways of doing the removal. Chris Bombolas: Thanks, Stephen, great advice. Now, if you want any further information on anything we've spoken about today, please head to our website. That's asbestos.qld.gov.au.