« Mohs' Hardness Scale | Main | Berber Carpet »
Removing Asbestos Vinyl Flooring
Asbestos vinyl flooring was widely used until 1972. When the dangers of asbestos became an issue, then careful vinyl flooring asbestos removal became an issue. One option is just covering asbestos flooring with the new flooring material like carpet, vinyl tiles or sheet vinyl, laminate or hardwood flooring, or even ceramic tiles and stone. Testing for asbestos in vinyl flooring can be done by professionals or by yourself to determine "is there asbestos in my vinyl flooring" or not. Asbestos in vinyl flooring isn't the end of the world, but asbestos and vinyl flooring do cause concern for your health. Use precaution if you elect to remove asbestos vinyl flooring so that its potential doesn't become your reality.
Until 1972, asbestos was used in a variety of building material such as roofing, exterior siding, window sills and linings, and vinyl flooring. Asbestos is a group of minerals known for their strength, flame/heat resistance, and indestructibility, and was considered ideal for insulation and fireproofing. However, once it was discovered that asbestos fibers can result in severe illness and disease when inhaled, the use of asbestos was banned by the EPA.
>
Unless clearly marked on the product's label, asbestos is impossible to identify without examining a sample under a microscope. Testing for asbestos vinyl flooring can be done by a professional asbestos contractor or by using a do-it-yourself home sampling kit. If your asbestos vinyl flooring is chipped, crumbling, or frayed, it must be removed before laying a new floor. The asbestos fibers from the damaged floor can cause health concerns when the fibers are released into the air. However, intact asbestos vinyl flooring should not be removed because the removal of an intact floor poses a greater risk than simply covering over the old flooring.
If you determine that the asbestos vinyl flooring must be removed, asbestos abatement contractors are highly recommended. Homeowners living in a single family home may also remove the asbestos but legally, family members and friends who help must do so voluntarily and without pay. Moreover, if you as a homeowner are not confident in your ability to safely remove the asbestos vinyl flooring, hire a certified asbestos abatement contractor. Asbestos removal is difficult work, and can be physically demanding and potentially dangerous.
To minimize the risk of exposure to asbestos fibers for do-it-yourself removal, safety equipment such as a respirator, coveralls, gloves, rubber boots and eye protection are required. Plus, tools such as spray bottles, liquid detergent, putty knifes, a utility knife, a stiff floor scraper, plastic sheeting, duct tape, plastic garbage bags, a mop, and disposable towels will be needed.
The goal in removing the asbestos vinyl flooring is to remove it in whole pieces without causing any dust. Before beginning, the work area must be isolated using the plastic sheet over heat registers, doorways, cupboards, etc. and the heating and air conditions system must be turned off. All furniture and other moveable objects should be removed from the room to prevent contamination and to simplify clean-up. Access to the work area should be limited to one doorway, with a slit in the plastic door covering to make the entrance as small as possible. To further prevent asbestos fibers from spreading, the floor must be kept wet using a water bottle. The water will also help loosen the tiles and make removal much easier.
Once prepped and your safety gear on, cut the vinyl flooring into manageable sections with a utility knife, and remove the pieces by pealing from the edges and using a flat scraper to lift the vinyl. Continue to wet the flooring as you scrape and pull to minimize dust. Any vinyl backing that separates from the vinyl flooring can be removed by thoroughly wetting and scrubbing the floor with a pad. As you remove the vinyl, place the pieces in sturdy plastic bags trash bags to avoid leakage and mark the bags “Danger! Asbestos-Containing Materials”. The asbestos debris can only be disposed of in a landfill that accepts asbestos-containing waste. Consider calling the land-fill before you go to ensure you understand all their requirements.
Careful clean-up is important when dealing with asbestos, and all potential asbestos dust and particulate must be removed from the work area to avoid future asbestos contamination. Wipe all surfaces, including the plastic covering, with a damp cloth. Frequently rinse the cloth and change the water so that the surfaces in the work area can get truly clean. Next, remove the plastic coverings and place in your plastic bags, along with all towels, mop heads, and coverall suit. To ensure that your skin and hair is free of asbestos, immediately take a complete shower and wash carefully.
Comments
We are renovating a house built in 1969. Under the basement carpet there are tiles that are all cracked and broken. I am sure that they contain asbeston....we have also had a mold issue and people have been down there working and breaking up some of the tiles. We are suppose to have carpet put down in 3 days and move in 4....what do I do?? Help!
Molly at July 26, 2009 07:56 PM
Lowes policy does not allow their sub-contractor to remove our linoleum (could be vinyl)flooring which is underneath the existing Pergo. Our home was built in 1997 and the contractor said there could still be asbestos in the flooring or the adhesive. We purchased the laminate flooring just under a year ago and installed the majority of it ourselves in the living room and down the hall. We wanted the remainder to be installed by the professionals at Lowes as there are some tricky angles in our kitchen and dining room and we don't want to deal with moving the large appliances or ripping up the two layers of floor. We want the new floor to be installed on top of the subfloor, NOT over any existing floor since one of our goals is to eliminate the transitions which we continually trip over. Lowes also informed us that the contractor cannot hook our gas stove back up upon completion of the job yet the contractor told me not to worry about it and that he hooks them back up all of the time?! How does it make sense that they can move the gas range and unhook it from the gas source and *somehow* that is less of a liability than hooking it back up?! I even spoke to our gas furnace maintenence guy and he agreed with me. I really don't think there is asbestos in our house; I think the contractor doesn't want to deal with ripping up the vinyl. I even tried asking him if we could pay him as a separate contractor (not Lowes) to rip it out and he said that part of his contract with Lowes is not to take and "side" jobs and he could lose his contract with them...guess he's not worried about that when it comes to hooking up gas stoves! Is it likely that there is asbestos in our floor? Wouldn't they have had to reveal that in either the disclosure or the inspection when we bought our house?
Tammy at September 8, 2009 09:41 PM
Tammy,
Grab a second opinion and find someone who is willing to work on your floor! In 1989 the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the Asbestos Ban and Phase Out Rule which was subsequently overturned in the case of Corrosion Proof Fittings v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1991, meaning their are some consumer products that still contain legal trace amounts of asbestos. You can read more on the asbestos ban here http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/pubs/asbbans2.pdf
Again I would grab a second opinion from a local professional and perhaps consult your Realtor regarding what they are legally required to disclose.
The Flooring Lady at September 11, 2009 10:04 AM
Help! My house was built in 1972. It had carpet in the Kitchen and Dining area (Kangaback) I removed the carpet on the kitchen side yesterday. The foam backing had stuck, so I scraped on it in a couple places. It was slow going, so I covered it up with a towel, went online and learned that my 12" tiles (original) could have asbestos! Today, I soaked the foam and removed it easily. If my tiles do contain asbestos, is there at least a layer on the outside that isn't? I have a toddler that I am concerned about. Thank You
Julie at October 3, 2009 12:18 PM
Julie,
The old asbestos tiles were made with asbestos in them, and are not suppose to be dangerous UNLESS they are damaged (cracked/open/crumbling). But, I would have it tested to be sure.
If they are not damaged, you may want to re-cover them. Rather than try to remove them.
The Flooring Lady at October 6, 2009 10:38 AM
Hello, I have two layers of old vinyl with a layer of plywood in between them on my kitchen floor. Under it all is what appears to be nice hardwoods. I would really like to remove the vinyl (which I am pretty sure was from before 1972). I know the hazards and can figure out how to remove it safely..My question is when I am done, and I have nice hardwoods covered with glues from the flooring, is there a safe way for me to sand and refinish that hardwood floor?
Thanks,
Steve
Steve at October 7, 2009 07:20 PM
Steve,
I would be sure to get a test kit or have a local contractor test the tiles for asbestos first. If the tiles on the hardwood floor are made with asbestos, it may really be a health risk to attempt sanding this yourself. I do not know of a safe way to accomplish it without a professional. If they aren't then you should be able to sand or screen the wood floor and finish it.
The Flooring Lady at October 9, 2009 12:20 PM
Hi, Oh boy, I think I blew it. I live in a 1973 mobile home and I am laying the new Armstrong Assure wood vinyl flooring (which is beautiful).
I have been removed all of the original sheet vinyl in the kitchen but haven't gotten to laying the new wood vinyl flooring because I haven't been feeling well. OMG! Could it be because of asbestos?
I have had a terrible headache above my eyes, my eyes are constantly burning and feel like their going to bust. I went to my doctor and my eye doctor and they are not finding anything wrong.
If it is the vinyl flooring asbestos, now what do I do?? Other than lay the wood vinyl flooring! Maybe it will go away then.
Help!
Joan
Joan at October 27, 2009 08:27 PM
Joan,
These symptoms could very well be from dust that has been stirred up while working on the floor, rather than asbestos.
An important thing to remember with any type of work in your home, is to allow ventilation and fresh air.
The Flooring Lady at October 29, 2009 01:23 PM
We would like to put Novalis vinyl tiles from Lowes down in our kitchen and dinning area ourselves. Are these tiles safe and what about the adhesive. I have heard it can be toxic and we have small children that will play on the floor. We are also thinking of wood laminate, the click and lock type? Which would be safer?
Chris McFarland at November 4, 2009 11:22 AM
