Asbestos was used in most buildings before it was banned in 2000. It was often used in ceilings or insulation, and you'll find it in many UK homes today. If it's in good condition and you don't disturb it, you don't need to worry about it.
Inside your home, there could be asbestos in:
Textured wall and ceiling coatings (such as Artex)
Service duct panels containing pipework
Floor tiles and tile adhesive
Linoleum with asbestos paper-backing
Panels behind radiators or heaters
Ceiling panels
Boiler flue pipes or water tanks
Toilet cisterns and bath panels
Outside you might find it in:
Roof tiles
Soffit boards
Guttering and drainpipes
Corrugated garage and shed roofs
If your home was built before 2000 and you're planning on doing work that involves any of these things, ask your builder or handyperson about it. There are special rules for working with asbestos, and they should follow these to prevent any health risks to you or themselves.
If you're doing DIY:
Don't damage or drill, cut, scrape or sand anything that might contain asbestos.
Don't jet-wash or clean down corrugated garage or shed roofs containing asbestos.
Don't remove old floor tiles or linoleum which may contain asbestos.
You should get a licensed professional to do the work for you instead.
What we do about asbestos in our homes
Our contractors always assess homes for asbestos when they do improvements or alterations. They'll tell you about any possible risks.
We'll make sure that any material containing asbestos is safe and kept in good condition. If we need to remove any material containing asbestos from your home, we'll use a specialist contractor. If you're concerned that something containing asbestos is damaged, chipped or deteriorating please let us know as soon as possible.
Other items that may contain asbestos
Some household appliances such as cookers, as well as ironing board pads, fire blankets and oven gloves may contain asbestos. If you're getting rid of them, get advice from the local council on where they can be disposed.