Asbestos fear

[Pixiedusty]

We are renovating and whilst the floor board upstairs was removed, the plumber dropped something which crashed through to the ceiling downstairs creating two fairly sizable holes. The builders then came to attempt to patch the holes up by sawing through the ceiling, so dust everywhere.

We sent a sample of the ceiling for testing as we wanted extra peace of mind and lo and behold it came back positive for chrysotile. It was very much a WTF moment as everything we've been told up to that point (by previous owner, the asbestos specialist who checked the house soon after we moved in, and the builders rectifying the ceiling) led us to believe the ceiling in question was new and therefore no asbestos.

I know asbestos if left undisturbed is not harmful but now it's very much disturbed and causing much anxiety. Our builder is suggesting whilst not ideal, but since the ceiling had already been skimmer over (no artex visible) it was not too problematic. We have also contacted the original asbestos specialist to ask why the findings appear different.

Assuming the worst case sceanrio and there was indeed artex within the ceiling material, what are the actual potential dangers to health? Is my builder correct that since it had been skimmed already it is not a huge risk?

Yes, your builder is correct. If it's skimmed & in good condition then you've no worries. However, now you know it's there, you'd have to declare it to the next purchaser.

Thank you. Any idea why the skimming apparently lowers the risk? Surely fibres can still be released if drilled through etc.

Skimming lowers the risk by protecting the area with the asbestos and making fibre release less likely.

It doesn't make doing something as daft as drilling a hole through the skim and the ACM any less daft or safer. Asbestos is generally safe if undisturbed. Drilling would be an unsafe disturbance.

I don’t think OP is suggesting she has a ceiling made of ACM but that a skimmed Artex (containing some asbestos but nowhere near as risky as ACM) was disturbed/ drilled.

Skimming protects it insitu, but if I'm right in thinking that two holes were created in an asbestos artex ceiling then fibres will have been released. Unfortunately you wont know of any health impact for many many years. Are you living there? I would get all the asbestos ceiling removed and replaced now its been disturbed by a specialist company, get it cleaned properly, and air tested to make sure there is no remaining contamination.

@Pixiedusty

just wanted to add that depending on your personality type and stress levels it might be worth getting specialist advice ASAP and even withdrawing this thread. I know from experience that it can be extremely easy to catastrophize in this situation. Ignore if you think I sound bonkers!

While I can't comment on this exact scenario, we found artex in the house we bought as part of the survey. We had all sorts of advice about covering it over, don't waste your money etc etc. but my personality would have just fretted over it forever. So we had the whole lot removed by a specialist company and the areas replaced. I've never regretted the outlay for this.
So the point of my post is, get sensible, professional advice and then go with your gut in terms of what will make you happy living there based on what you're told.

@SwayingInTime agree. I would have been very anxious.

Thanks all. Good to see we aren't crazy for being worried about this, though I think DP is certainly more worried than I am (rightly or wrongly)...we did skim over the remaining artex ceilings in the house in the end but the difference is that we KNOW they are there, whereas this one we were somewhat misled into thinking it's new. The builders do seem very non-plussed about the whole thing though.

I think everyone in the world must have been exposed to disturbed asbestos at some point in our lives. I’m not a scientist but I imagine the risk to you is very very small, I’d honestly try to put it to the back of your mind and move on with your life.

in terms of the ceiling now I personally would just leave it. I’d you’re not planning any more holes to the ceiling then I imagine it’s safer to leave as it is than to remove it?

It has happened now but I would really try not to worry (obviously easier said than done, believe me I know, I've had extreme anxiety for periods of time in my life about health). The website www.asbestos.com/exposure/short-term/ states the following:

Short-Term Exposure Fast Facts
• Light, short-term exposure rarely causes disease
• A one-off exposure from do-it-yourself renovation is not a major risk
• Asbestos exposure is cumulative, so short-term exposures can add up
• Disasters may cause extreme asbestos-exposure events

So I would say that, on balance, it'll be absolutely fine

Op - we had internal walls removed, fitted furniture and loft hatch installed and light fittings all before we found out 15 years later the ceilings contain chrysolite. Not mentioned in the original survey and we didn't recognise or know that artex would contain it when we bought.
One ceiling is still rough where it was cut.
I am refusing to worry, just being sensible from now on.

Thank you for the reassuring words - they always sound better when they come from other people!

@OneFrenchEgg the level of stress we are feeling is somewhat irrational and we know it is too, but just a difficult feeling to shake off especially when we have very young kids and feel sick imagining what could happen to them.

If you are worried about residual dust from the disturbance the use a HEPA filter to run in the area for several days.

This can then be safely disposed of.

There are lots of companies which can offer advice and reassurance

Asbestos in the form within artex posses a minimal risk.

OneFrenchEgg the level of stress we are feeling is somewhat irrational and we know it is too, but just a difficult feeling to shake off especially when we have very young kids and feel sick imagining what could happen to them.

I felt exactly the same and then realised it was pointless. We replaced two damaged ceilings but don't have £800 x however many are left and having read round it and talked to a few more people I'm just not letting myself catastrophise. It's very easy, after reading this thread I started panicking again and had to move away from it.
I don't think the risks from white asbestos are as high as for other types though.

@noideabutstilltrying Indeed was just looking at air purifiers as we speak! Should've thought of this earlier but hopefully this will give us peace of mind going forward.

@OneFrenchEgg Oh no so sorry for bringing up bad memories, kudos to you for the resilience and not letting it get to you. You are right it is what it is so we mustn't catastrophise as you say. x

Hi there,
@OneFrenchEgg when you say rough edge I just wondered what you mean. A loft hatch was cut into an artex ceiling in our house just before we moved in. Some years later I had an asbestos test done by professionals, it came back neg but reading this thread they are not always 100% accurate. Did you research how long the fibres stay in air, and if disturbed by a hatch does something need to be done to seal, or all ok if left I disturbed thereafter?

@Pixiedusty hi there, wondering how this panned out. Am also curious, as I had a test done a few years ago - they took two samples, and back negative... are you saying you also had tests done on the ceiling by asbestos specialists? You mention you were going to find out why different findings- did you get any answers on that? Thanks so much

@rainbows55 hi - no i didn't research anything after becoming almost hysterical over google and asbestos. It took ages to put it in perspective and be ok with it (ceiling in child's room) so now I try to avoid thinking about it. My oldest has a broken ceiling where a wall was moved, but I can't see any rough or cut fibres so I just put it away in my head.

Hi @rainbows55 I'm convinced the guy just made a mistake, as it was just a sight inspection (looking at the layers from a light source opening) rather than actually looking at a sample (from that particular area) in lab. In anycase we also did an air test several days after the event and nothing was detected, so we moved on. If you are ever concerned about fibers in the air you may consider to just do an air test, it's a couple of hundred quid to put your mind at ease.

@OneFrenchEgg thanks for your reply. what does a rough or cut fibre look like? Grrr I need to get a grip!!!! 😬!! The weird thing is, we are all with Artex ceilings that show probably safer than people with smooth ceilings as they have often just been skimmed over as so many properties had Artex ceilings, so people buy them unawares and put new lights in or whatever not knowing they underneath was Artex!

It's a nightmare how anxiety takes hold. It think if it looked ragged like torn rather than finished??