How to Remove Asbestos Tile Glue
Many forms of modern flooring, including floor tiles, vinyl sheets, linoleum sheets, and adhesives, contain asbestos. It is used in flooring for its inherent resistance to oil, moisture, acids and heat alkalis. However, as awareness about asbestos poisoning grew, health professionals and environmental scientists warned against the usage of this material in flooring, and their safe removal became a significant issue. The material can spread in the air as the flooring gets old and crumbles, releasing small fibres in the air.
Removing Asbestos Tile Glue
Laying a new floor is one of the major aspects of a home renovation project and mostly requires the removal of the old flooring. However, removing flooring that used asbestos-based glue is a bit tricky. Though the Melbourne Department of Health suggests hiring a licensed floor removal contractor for asbestos removal in Melbourne, a homeowner may remove the asbestos-based tile glue safely following the instructions in this article.
Switch off the air-conditioning or heating systems to isolate the work area from the rest of the building. Cover every vent or slit with a polythene sheet and seal with duct tape. Flood the floor with hot water for at least 3 hours to prevent the asbestos adhesive from releasing poisonous fibres.
Wear a disposable PPE suit, long work boots, eye protection goggles and gloves. You’ll need a few heavy-duty polythene bags and some duct tape to seal them, while a mop, disposable towels and a putty scraper would also be required to scrape off the asbestos glue and clean the floor. A chemical-based solvent is a key element for asbestos removal.
Begin removing vinyl or floor tile from the edge of your floor using a hammer to work the putty knife under the tile/vinyl to pop it loose. Keep wetting the area with water or chemical solvent to dissolve the glue and loosen its grip. Use a razor scraper and some hot water to scrape off any material stuck to the floor. Avoid the temptation to use an abrasive or sand the area as it can suspend asbestos fibres in the air.
Once removed from the floor, collect all the tile or vinyl sheet waste and put it in waste bags and seal them shut with duct tape.
Now apply the chemical-based solvent to the floor again and rub gently with a mop to clean away the wet adhesive. Cleaning up is undoubtedly the most vital and tough part when it comes to asbestos removal. Use damp disposable towels to wipe the whole floor and wall scouting. Thoroughly rinse the towel after each wiping session and change the rinsing water at least thrice.
Once the floor is cleaned, put all the disposable towels, PPE suits, and mopheads in polythene bags and seal them with tape. Dump all the waste in a landfill that allows asbestos waste dumping. Some licensed asbestos removal contractors in Melbourne can handle your asbestos waste disposal.
If you are not a Do-It-Yourself person, there are many reliable asbestos removal services in Melbourne, like Asbestos Removed, that can handle the complete asbestos removal process.