Asbestos (pigletjohn?!?!)

[NewPurrs5]

Our house is roughly 20 years old. Artex ceilings- bobbly rather than swirly if this is remotely relevant.

We've just had some work done which required drilling through the ceiling. My husband is no (retrospectively) freaking out that we didn't get an asbestos check first. He's also saying it was the workmen responsibility to ensure they knew it wasn't before doing so, I think it was our responsibility.

I'm annoyed because he's not done anything to help with organising or planning and now, after work is (almost) complete he's got questions

Thoughts?

I didn't think modern houses used asbestos in artex?

Unlikely to be asbestos especially in a 20 year old house. Don't know when it was 'banned' but certainly many years ago.
Ceiling is most likely plasterboard skimmed with Artex, no asbestos there.

I feel that house is new enough that it'd be sooooo unlikely to be asbestos. Dh works in a job where the rules are strictly- if you do not know for certain you walk away. So Is now frantically googling and stressing me out

My husband used to work for an asbestos surveying company. He says it's unlikely unless the company who did the artex has an old supply. So it's possible but very unlikely. He says not to worry too much and he's obsessed with the stuff - he said even if in the unlikely scenario that it did contain asbestos, it would be very small amounts of white asbestos which is the least harmful (obviously still bad but not as bad as it could be).

What age is your property?

Anything post 1999 should be asbestos free (chrsyotile)

Anything post 1985 should be Amosite and crocioldite free.

crocidolite*

I'm really struggling to remember but I think they said 97 when we bought (only been here a few months) next door will know, they're the sort of neighbor who know everything about everything in a helpful way ofc!

Land registry should tell you - in the docs you got when you bought it

how do you find out if property has asbestos? I know our garage has it - but how would I know if somewhere else did?

It's hard to know without testing.

But it's easiest to assume that there is asbestos in a house earlier than 1999.

Our house was built in 53, I've never found any Asbestos. Ceilings were plasterboard and a plaster skim, no remaining hwyl lagging or rad panels. They may of originally had some in the front door canopies but these had long been removed by the time we bought it. I wouldn't go assuming even house pre 1999 has asbestos.

Yes. But there is no way to know without testing. You can do visual checks for lagging etc.

But it was usedfor nearly everything back in the day as it was seen as a wonderful material

Okay have established that the house was built 94....

Maybe a touch of realism should prevail. Yes Asbestos and asbestosis and related illnesses are very nasty, contracted by people working in close contact with asbestos in high concentration for a fair amount of time.
The discussion started with drilling a couple of holes in a ceiling. Unless you insist on snorting the stuff or deliberately allowing yourself to breathe it in the chances of causing are very small.
Take sensible precautions (dust mask and use a vacuum cleaner) and then the risk is minimal.
Cutting and drilling MDF is also very dangerous but you can still buy it in all hardware stores.

you can scrape some samples off and send them off for analysis.

Artex is not considered very dangerous, but sanding or drilling it releases dust so is discouraged. Most often it is plastered over to give a smooth flat surface (but not in old houses with lath and plaster ceilings, or cracked or sagging ones, which might fall down).

Outabout, do you feel better now?

My husband suffers with an anxiety disorder, and he's whilst annoying to me at times I do have to accept he can't help it. I know nothing at all about asbestos- which is why I asked here, because sometimes people like to spare a few sentences for those of us with stupid questions who have no one else to ask.

I think it's fair to say I've ascertained a general consensus and some info from this thread which is all I set out to do, Sorry this inconvienced you so

I do find your tone unnecessarily harsh, especially as I am part of the consensus.