Asbestos Testing Rotorua

What is asbestos?

Asbestos was once a much-loved building product in New Zealand, because it was fire resistant and didn’t rot.

But it’s also a killer found in around 3,800 different building products used in New Zealand homes and commercial buildings between 1920 and 2000. According to WorkSafe NZ, asbestos-related diseases are our single biggest cause of death from work-related diseases.

Asbestos are naturally occurring silicate minerals composed of millions of microscopic fibrils that can be released by abrasion and other processes.

There is no safe level of asbestos exposure, and the airborne fibres are not visible to the naked eye. Asbestos that has been disturbed or damaged can release fibres that can lodge themselves in the lungs, causing fatal illnesses, such as lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis.

While asbestos-containing building products are safe if left untouched, if they are cut, sanded, or just through deterioration, asbestos fibres are released.

Renovating a property built before the late 1990s? Get an asbestos test.

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How to identify asbestos?

The only way to discover if your home has asbestos is to have it tested.

Asbestos in New Zealand is most commonly found in buildings built before 2000.

Asbestos was used in many construction applications because it is heat-resistant, electricity-resistant, provides good sound proofing, was affordable and durable. It was often mixed with other materials as the fibres provided strength without adding much weight, so was widely used in flooring, electrical, roof and wall cladding.

There were two main types of asbestos used in building in New Zealand:

Friable asbestos is loosely packed and sealed, and therefore potentially very dangerous because it can crumble and release fibres into the air.
Non-friable asbestos is a bonded asbestos found in a number of building materials. It can become friable if weathered or damaged.

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Call 021 2121398

to get the ins and outs on where you’re living.

Asbestos Testing Rotorua | Whakatane | Tauranga & Across The Bay of Plenty

How to get asbestos removed?

If asbestos is undisturbed and intact, there is no immmediate problem and it can be best not to risk your health or the health of others through unnecessary removal. However, if you own a house built between 1920 and 2000 and you’re thinking of renovating, then call the Bay of Plenty asbestos experts first.

You must inform all tradespeople if your home contains, or might contain, asbestos. You need to ensure repair work can be undertaken safely and the removal of asbestos is highly regulated for very good reasons.

Asbestos removal must be performed competently and in accordance with Health and Safety requirements. By law, certain types of work with asbestos containing materials can only be carried out by a licenced contractor and their nominated supervisors or removal workers.

If you’re about to carry out renovations on property built before the late 1990s, you’ll need an asbestos check to protect your family or staff from the asbestos products that are quite probably in your building.

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How to find asbestos?

Main areas where asbestos can be found:

roof sheeting, capping, roof ventilators, skylights, eaves/water pipes and flues and manhole frames
door and window mouldings, exterior louvre blades, side flashing, and cement downpipes
exterior wall sheets and cement cladding
interior wall sheets, soffits, baseboards and shingles
lino and flooring tile underlays and adhesives
insulation lagging for pipes and around the doors of domestic heaters and inside fire places.
fencing, carports and sheds.

Appropriate testing is the only way to identify the presence of asbestos. If you are concerned about potential asbestos exposure, Bay Property Inspections provides asbestos testing in Rotorua and across the Bay of Plenty. Call 021 2121398.

Don’t take risks with asbestos. If you have any doubts, get an asbestos check.

Asbestos testing in Rotorua

If you are unsure whether your house or building contains asbestos, then talk to Andre from Bay Building Inspections about testing for asbestos. We can carry out minor asbestos sampling through to more complex surveys.

Only experienced, qualified asbestos testers should do an asbestos test on your property. Why? Because they have the knowledge and know-how to ensure minimal disturbance of any asbestos and how to avoid creating dust which many contain asbestos fibres.

All samples are 100% independently tested by a third-party laboratory and asbestos sampling results are usually returned within a few days.

Don’t leave health and safety to chance

You need to ensure any repair or renovation work on your property can be undertaken safely. If you have any doubts about whether you have asbestos at your place, seek advice from an experienced asbestos tester in Rotorua – Andre – and get an asbestos check.

Make an appointment today for your on-site risk assessment.