Asbestos Floor Tiles Low Risk

Like floor tiles vinyl sheet flooring is a long lasting and economical material and it also offers more aesthetic options to suit a homeowner s taste.

Asbestos floor tiles low risk.

That means it is safe to walk on but not safe to scrape sand or use power tools on. If the asbestos floor tiles or sheet flooring have been painted coated with a sealant or floored over using carpet laminate or any other continuous flooring so that the original floor is not exposed the risk level provided by the original asbestos containing flooring is low to beneath the level of detection in the building. Floor tiles can become friable if they are mishandled damaged or are in a badly worn or weathered condition. Sanding sawing drilling or tearing the tiles out however can release fibers into the air.

But when vinyl asbestos flooring is in good condition it is considered nonfriable. Older vinyl or rubber floors that are damaged are a different story because the tiles can release asbestos so they need to be removed. In many cases the best thing to do about vinyl asbestos flooring is put a new layer of flooring on top of it. Therefore they generally pose a lower risk to health.

Both these options will keep the asbestos trapped in the floor. You could also seal it with a coat of epoxy floor paint. Unfortunately vinyl sheet flooring manufactured with an asbestos backing poses a serious exposure risk when it is disturbed. If the floor is true linoleum damage does not present a danger of asbestos inhalation unless it extends all the way to the subfloor and exposes the mastic which may contain asbestos.

Mixing asbestos into vinyl floor tiles made them more insulating and resistant to damage. Asbestos floor tiles will not release toxic fibers and pose a health risk unless they are disturbed.