Is There Asbestos In My Vinyl Flooring

Because linoleum was invented long before vinyl people often refer to both types of flooring as linoleum but there s a big difference.

Is there asbestos in my vinyl flooring.

There are countless residential homes here in the northeast that were built before the 1980 s. As with any asbestos containing material acm the first step to finding asbestos in linoleum sheet flooring and vinyl tiles is. Vinyl asbestos flooring comes in two types tiles and sheeting. Tiles are safer to remove than the sheeting because the asbestos is held together by the vinyl which is not hazardous.

Click here to read more. Therefore if you re staying in an old home there s a high probability that your flooring contains asbestos. Linoleum is an all natural floor covering composed of dried linseed oil wood dust cork and jute and it doesn t contain asbestos. Often times the homeowner is unaware of the asbestos tile flooring at all.

Needless to say most of them have asbestos tile installed somewhere inside. Vinyl asbestos tiles should not be sanded and the glue that holds the tiles to the floor should not be sanded either. Asbestos was used in vinyl wallpaper from the 1920s and in the vinyl floor tiles and sheet flooring that rose to prominence in the 1950s. Our photo left shows armstrong excelon 12x12 vinyl asbestos flooring made in 1972 identified in our floor tile photo guide asbestos floor tile identification photos 1949 1959 detailed photo guide to asphalt asbestos and vinyl asbestos floor tiles and resilient flooring produced in 1900 1980.

Vinyl tiles vinyl flooring tiles are more likely to contain asbestos than other tiles. Possible signs of asbestos mastic include discoloration and an oily texture. If your building was built before 1980 mastic mixed with asbestos may have been used to seal your tiles to the floor. Like floor tiles vinyl sheet flooring is a long lasting and economical material and it also offers more aesthetic options to suit a homeowner s taste.

Stain proof fireproof stylish and affordable vinyl products strengthened through the inclusion asbestos in their manufacture were a very popular choice in many new zealand houses. Unfortunately vinyl sheet flooring manufactured with an asbestos backing poses a serious exposure risk when it is disturbed. Vinyl asbestos tile vat where to begin. Having this type of flooring was popular during the 1980s.

Therefore inspect your home s flooring and see if you have vinyl flooring.