Asbestos Floor Tiles - Remove or Cover?
Hi there – My coop building is planning a renovation of the lobby and first floor which currently have asbestos-containing tile. Some people want to rip out the floors & replace them with stone, which means we would have to have an asbestos abatement team & seal off the first floor apartments for the duration…
Hi there –
My coop building is planning a renovation of the lobby and first floor which currently have asbestos-containing tile. Some people want to rip out the floors & replace them with stone, which means we would have to have an asbestos abatement team & seal off the first floor apartments for the duration of the work. Others would prefer to put a thin material over the tile (sheet linoleum or vinyl tile). Does anyone have experience with either of these approaches?
“The value of the building (and the units) will increase as well if you get rid of the stuff”
OP, have you googled this subject? I’d like to learn the exact code about this. I don’t know the code yet, but I do know asbestos scares people.
http://bstoner.wpengine.com/forum/archives/2009/04/asbestos_and_li.php
The general rule with asbestos is that if it’s in good condition, encapsulation is preferable to removal. Why risk having any asbestos fibers floating around your building if you don’t have to?
But if leaving the old tiles underneath the new ones is a problem, you gotta do what you gotta dude.
How will it increase?
Asbestos is only hazardeous in dust form.
If you have the money and time, remove. The value of the building (and the units) will increase as well if you get rid of the stuff
I think you would probably have to forego protective wear and systematically grind the floor up as you remove it to get asbestosis, but you will still be likely to encounter those who think the effects of any asbestos will be instantaneous and severe (didn’t they used to have asbestos aprons and oven mitts?).
I agree that either removal or encapsulation is fine. Caveats for removal – during removal the work area will have to be tented and isolated. Is there alternate access for everyone?
Encapsulation will result in a slightly raised floor. You’ll have to use appropriate saddles/reducing strips at all doorways and materials transitions. Will that work for you?
Given the hysteria surrounding asbestos there will be at least several in your building who will think it’s going to kill them if not removed.
Try and use reason. If covered up, the small amount of asbestos in the floor cannot possibly be a threat. It’s not much a threat anyway unless you’re the doorman and live in the lobby, and maybe not even then.
Or maybe the sheer cost of abatement might convince everybody to encapsulate it.
It is really just a matter of preference, cost and timeline. You either encapsulate or remove.