Asbestos Floor Tile Removal

Asbestos, a naturally occurring silicate material can be toxic. Because of its resistance to heat, electricity and chemical damage, its tensile strength and sound absorption it became a favorite choice of many builders and manufacturers world wide. Most of the time, asbestos is mixed with cement or woven into fabric or mats.

Methods for Asbestos Floor Tile Removal
Asbestos is extremely fire resistant and was used for insulation and fire proofing purposes in the past. But it consists of small fibers which can be inhaled easily by humans and can cause diseases like asbestosis and mesothelioma cancer hence, asbestos exposure should be avoided. Also try to avoid installing asbestos tile flooring. Vinyl flooring also contain some quantity of asbestos and while removing them, proper care should be taken.

The first step is to check if the material is in non friable state. When asbestos cannot be reduced to dust after applying hand pressure, then it is said to be in non friable state. Before you start removing the asbestos floor tile, wear protective gear such as a respirator and safety goggles. It should be removed in pieces so that the material remains in a non friable state. Hence, avoid grinding or the usage of saw or drill.

It is always better to take help of professional and licensed asbestos contractors who are fully equipped and are educated on how to remove asbestos floor tiles safely and also know how to dispose them. Most of the times, they come with plastic sheets which stops the particles from moving around freely. They are dangerous materials hence usually they are packed in a wet container. This avoids the particles from becoming air borne while removing the tiles and will also help you in the asbestos floor tile removal. This was about how to remove asbestos floor tiles. Read more on asbestos tile removal tips.

Uses of Asbestos
In some countries, asbestos was used in the manufacturing of ammonium sulfate which was further used for the production of rice, for spraying on the ceilings, in iron skeletons, on walls of railroad cars and buildings. Previously, it was also used in automobile brake parts, clutch discs and shoes. It was also used for the purpose of wrapping pipes, lining the boilers and for covering engine and turbine parts.

Asbestos - Minerals
Amosite: This mineral is used as a fire retardant in ceiling tiles and also in thermal insulation products. Its origins can be traced to South Africa.

Chrysotile: This mineral is obtained from serpentine rocks. The mineral is curly unlike crocidolite, amosite, termolite, etc. which are like a needle. This mineral is very flexible and can be woven easily into a fabric. It is used to a large extent within corrugated asbestos cement roof sheets which are used for warehouses, garages and buildings. Sometimes, they are molded into flat sheets and used for floors and walls.

Crocidolite: Crocidolite a fibrous form of amphibole riebeckite is found mainly in South Africa and Australia. It occurs in the form of soft friable fibers but there are a few which occur in straight form and some of them are rolled.

I am sure this article must have given you sufficient knowledge about asbestos floor tile removal tips and also about asbestos and its types.