Asbestos can be located in a variety of places in a residential dwelling. As it’s a fire-resistant and hard-wearing material, it is commonly found in places that may get hot or wet.

This includes:

• The walls behind stoves in kitchens
• Interior and exterior walls
• Flooring, especially lino flooring in wet areas (bathrooms, laundry, toilet, kitchen)
• Roofs
• Hot water tanks
• Insulation and lagging
• Gutters and downpipes
• Fireplace surrounds and chimneys
• Ceilings
• Electrical fuse boards
• Water pipes internally
• Around windows and door frames.

It can also be found outside a residential dwelling as part of fencing, pipes running water to the dwelling, and in soil.

Asbestos was also commonly used in bonding agents; so lino may not contain asbestos, the glue it’s stuck down with may contain asbestos.

Check out the image below to view other places where asbestos may be hiding in your building.

What to do if you suspect asbestos

In a sound and contained state, it is not dangerous. It is only once the fibres become airborne that asbestos becomes a risk to our health. If you suspect that you have asbestos and it’s in good condition keep a close on eye on it..

However, if the condition changes or you want to do any work, then we recommend that you contact an Asbestos Surveyor to get samples taken and analysed by an IANZ accredited lab to ascertain whether asbestos is present or not.

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