I recently removed vinyl tile from the basement of the home I just moved into (the house was built in 1982). Upon removing them from the portion of the floor that had them, I read about how there is asbestos in the residue and the backing of the tiles. My wife and I had previously purchased and intend on installing a tongue and groove wood laminate floor in over the concrete slab on which these tiles were removed. Do I need to remove the cutback, or can I simply place down the vapor barrier that I purchased with the flooring and install the laminate over it? The floor is level as it sits now.

I know that if this was, indeed, asbestos, then it can only be hazardous if disturbed, so will the barrier and flooring be enough to keep the residual glue from becoming an airborne problem? As it is, I'm terrified that I could have put my family at risk in removing the tiles with no knowledge that there was asbestos in the glue.

Additionally, what is the best way to clean the floor without creating hazardous dust? There is a significant amount of dirt on the floor, and I know that wet cleanup is recommended. Any specific recommendations?

All advice is tremendously appreciated.

Rob

Too many people stress over asbestos. Unless it's the loose stuff covering old pipes, there really isn't much room for concern. For it to affect you, you would need constant exposure for years...