Does Old Vinyl Flooring Contain Asbestos

On 2019 10 14 by mod.

Does old vinyl flooring contain asbestos.

Asbestos vinyl sheet flooring has two layers a top layer of vinyl and a bottom layer made from paper that contains asbestos. This is a custom built house constructed in 1983 currently under contract i am purchasing. The vinyl acts as a binder that holds the asbestos fibres within a solid matrix. Adding to modern confusion about which vinyl floor tiles from the 1950 s to 1980 s do or do not contain asbestos some lines such as the excelon supreme ca 1977 did not contain asbestos.

Working with asbestos flooring can release toxic dust. Vinyl flooring and wallpaper that contain asbestos cannot be recognized on sight. Does this vinyl kitchen floor contain asbestos. Unfortunately vinyl tiles and sheet flooring that contain asbestos pose a potential exposure risk.

Not all old floor tiles or sheet flooring contain asbestos. Asbestos is a mineral that lends fireproofing qualities to any substance it is mixed with. If the material is in good condition it normally does not pose a threat because the asbestos is enclosed in vinyl preventing the fibres from escaping. For about 35 years flooring companies included asbestos when they manufactured the vinyl tiles.

Asbestos vinyl sheet flooring can be more dangerous to remove than tiles if proper precautions are not practiced. The interior of the house is very outdated with original carpet and i am assuming the vinyl tile floors in kitchen are the original floors from 1983. It is always safer to assume material manufactured before 1980 contains asbestos. But the flooring companies aim wasn t so much to make the floor tiles fireproof as it was to make the tiles more durable.

Asbestos vinyl sheet flooring should only be removed by a licensed abatement professional. Vinyl is a type of plastic that has long been a popular material for floor tiles and sheets. We are told that the paper layer can contain from 40 to 70 percent asbestos.