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nashdesignguy

Tile Removal & Asbestos

nashdesignguy
10 years ago

Hello,

Today I removed about 100 sq feet of tile in my entry way. I hung plastic sheets on every door. I wore a dust mask and turned off my HVAC, as there was a lot of dust and I didn't want it all over the house. I swept up every piece of lose debris possible. When I was done, I opened the front door and put two fans in the room, as to get the dust out of the house without it spreading inside.

My house was built in 1969. This tile was beneath two layers of linoleum or vinyl flooring. I had no idea why they would do this, though now I suspect it's because they were concerned about asbestos. I did not know before I started this project that asbestos is found in flooring products from that time. I would not have touched it if I had known. In hindsight I wish I wore better gear (my dust mask had no filter).

The tile was mosaic. It was not 9x9 (but larger), and the mastic was white. The tile was very tough to scrape up and because it was mosaic, and it broke apart. In fact, some of the mosaic pieces are still stuck to the floor. I have searched long and hard for pictures of tile that match mine and have also been identified as containing asbestos. I'm actually more worried about the mastic than the tiles at this point.

Given these facts, how likely is I that I came across asbestos?

My wife, toddler and newborn are coming home tomorrow from visiting her family. I will have to turn the heat back on as we are expecting record lows (0 degrees). Should I even let them sleep here? Or should I call an inspector tomorrow before they arrive and stay who them in a hotel?

I know, if there is asbestos, that I had a pretty intense exposure because of all the dust. However, I don't want to expose them or bring them in the house of it's a major risk.

What would you do?

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