Asbestos tiles—how to deal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel so relieved that any and all asbestos is gone. By the way, check that pink insulation

We didn't have any visible insulation until we had some installed. None in the attic. I have no idea how the people before us lived here without insulation. All of it is behind sheetrock now, so I'm not worried about that.

OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We used ACM; very by the book. But we used an independent company to give the all clear

Thanks.

What is ACM? I googled it and came up with "Asbestos Containing Materials." Is ACM also a company in the DMV that does abatement?

OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We used a floor leveler and Vinyl Plank on top. Much easier than removing.

Is the floor leveler a cement product?

OP

It's a kind of cement. You don't want cement, you want floor leveler. I don't know why someone said cement.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/MAPEI-Red-and-Pink-Indoor-Leveler/5002990839

[Anonymous]

We have asbestos tiles in the basement of our 1950s brick rambler. The previous owners had carpeted the basement just before selling. We pulled up the carpet a few years later and covered the tile with self-level cement a few years later in the finished area. The original asbestos tile was still visible in the unfinished part of the basement but nothing was broken.
We are now prepping our home for sale and the entire basement floor has been covered with LVP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We used ACM; very by the book. But we used an independent company to give the all clear

Thanks.

What is ACM? I googled it and came up with "Asbestos Containing Materials." Is ACM also a company in the DMV that does abatement?

OP

Called the inspector to check; identified all areas

Called ACM
https://acmservices.com/

Cleared by the independent inspector

Found a hidden area behind drywall; rinse and repeat

Overall very worth it and you have a perfectly clean and prepped surface for your renovation

[Anonymous]

They use negative pressure and containment; should be no risk and/or dust

The areas were like the IT clean rooms after

[Anonymous]

Just leave it. There will not be any dust. The asbestos is encapsulated within the tile and/or mastic. It's not going anywhere. People tile over it, put down flooring over it, or carpet. It's all good except you always have to disclose it's there when you sell.

To remove it yourself. Spray the tiles you want to scrape up with water to reduce dust. Wear a good dust mask and scrape the tiles up. It's really no big deal.

Or, have an abatement company do the same thing while making a big show of putting up air curtains, air monitors and wearing space suits and charging you a fortune.

[Anonymous]

In the basement of out 60s home, covered w/ asbestos tile: living/hang out area has been carpeted. In the bathroom, covered woth self leveler and new tile over top

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They use negative pressure and containment; should be no risk and/or dust

The areas were like the IT clean rooms after

Ironically, they don’t require any special handling by the wrecking crew when the old homes with asbestos are torn down. In our neighborhood, we have three tear downs. Lots of dust everywhere. Young kids walk past them to school everyday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just leave it. There will not be any dust. The asbestos is encapsulated within the tile and/or mastic. It's not going anywhere. People tile over it, put down flooring over it, or carpet. It's all good except you always have to disclose it's there when you sell.

To remove it yourself. Spray the tiles you want to scrape up with water to reduce dust. Wear a good dust mask and scrape the tiles up. It's really no big deal.

Or, have an abatement company do the same thing while making a big show of putting up air curtains, air monitors and wearing space suits and charging you a fortune.

I would do no such thing without negative pressure and containment. You can set it up ourselves but it’s a pain.

I’ve always been a little skeptical about the leave it in place approaches. I think if the advice was to take it out then people might do it improperly or the economic burden might be too great. But I really didn’t want that in my house. Of course the tile would be less concerning than insulation.

The biggest question is how you define “friable”? What level of aging and deterioration over time is safe given these are microscopic fibers? I don’t think I’ve ever seen completely brand new looking intact tile and mastic in these types of floors. What if it becomes brittle (vinyl tiles do over time) or frayed over time in tile or in the insulation or that popcorn ceiling, what if there’s a flood or a minor fire, what if the tiles are damaged (a lot of times they are from or around where the equipment is screwed into the floor in basements)?

Each to their own but there are ways to safely address and the best way to know is the asbestos testing in situ afterwards. That is expensive and frankly should be a free service by the city (as mold and any other public health hazard).

In these old houses, demolition to PPs point should be done under containment and negative pressure before the renovation can start. I really am wary of the builder renos for that reason amongst other.

[Anonymous]

If you are not going to have it properly removed, then leave it. No half measures

But carpeting over it strikes me as a terrible idea. Cement and tile yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have asbestos tiles in the basement of our 1950s brick rambler. The previous owners had carpeted the basement just before selling. We pulled up the carpet a few years later and covered the tile with self-level cement a few years later in the finished area. The original asbestos tile was still visible in the unfinished part of the basement but nothing was broken.
We are now prepping our home for sale and the entire basement floor has been covered with LVP.

Thank you. I’ll google what LVP is.

Did you have to hire an abatement company in addition to the installers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They use negative pressure and containment; should be no risk and/or dust

The areas were like the IT clean rooms after

Thank you!

OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We used ACM; very by the book. But we used an independent company to give the all clear

Thanks.

What is ACM? I googled it and came up with "Asbestos Containing Materials." Is ACM also a company in the DMV that does abatement?

OP

Called the inspector to check; identified all areas

Called ACM
https://acmservices.com/

Cleared by the independent inspector

Found a hidden area behind drywall; rinse and repeat

Overall very worth it and you have a perfectly clean and prepped surface for your renovation

Thank you!

OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are not going to have it properly removed, then leave it. No half measures

But carpeting over it strikes me as a terrible idea. Cement and tile yes.

I agree with the carpeting. One article I read said the dust would creep through over time. Cement seems safer. OTOH, This Old House recommended carpet which surprised me as I didn’t think that a wise idea.