We have asbestos in our Linoleum...now what?

Your best bet would be to hire a professional to come in there and take care of that asbestos for you.

There are ways to DIY , but some cities will require a professional to do the work. Still if you choose to DIY it will be alot of work and there are alot of procedures you need to follow so make sure you do your research.

Asbestos Linoleum

Source: http://asbestosmesotheliomalawyer.blogspot.com/

Do keep activities to a minimum in any areas having damaged material that may contain asbestos.

Do take every precaution to avoid damaging asbestos material.

Do have removal and major repair done by people trained and qualified in handling asbestos. It is highly recommended that sampling and minor repair also be done by asbestos professionals.

Don't dust, sweep, or vacuum debris that may contain asbestos.

Don't saw, sand, scrape, or drill holes in asbestos materials.

Don't use abrasive pads or brushes on power strippers to strip wax from asbestos flooring.

Never use a power stripper on a dry floor.

Don't sand or try to level asbestos flooring or its backing. When asbestos flooring needs replacing, install new floor covering over it, if possible.

Don't track material that could contain asbestos through the house. If you cannot avoid walking through the area, have it cleaned with a wet mop. If the material is from a damaged area, or if a large area must be cleaned, call an asbestos professional.

Linoleum Removal

There are two types of asbestos, friable and non-friable. Friable would be in the backing on sheet vinyl flooring and insulation around pipes. Non-friable would be what's in vinyl asbestos tiles. Look here for more info: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-friable-asbestos.h...

There were adhesives with asbestos. If you really have linoleum, it should not have asbestos. Linoleum is a composite of rosin, cork and jute.

Asbestos removal companies generally seal the area and create negative pressure so no asbestos can escape. Workers using protective gear remove all of the asbestos containing materials and discard of it properly.

Depending on your location it may not be legal to do this yourself. If you were to do try, you would want to get a bug sprayer to spray the material an keep it wet as you pull up the floor and scrape off the glue. Put all the refuse in bags, mark them and dispose of them properly.

Personally I wouldn't freak about it though. Even with no precautions you are probably as likely to die from a minimal exposure to asbestos as you are from smoking one pack of cigarettes.

I've spoken to people who laid, tore up and sometimes even sanded asbestos tile in the days before it was a known concern. One told me a story about sanding an asbestos floor in a K-mart to prepare to lay another asbestos floor over it and likened it to being inside a snow-globe. He's in his 80s now.

What you have is Class II asbestos. It's already encapsulated and you as the home owner can remove and dispose of it yourself. The dangerous class of asbestos is Class I (friable asbestos) which means that it's dry and crumbly. Class I asbestos is usually found in old boiler lagging (pipe insulation), old ceiling tiles, etc. and this is the type that can ultimately kill you. Class II asbestos is also found in the old cement/asbestos siding that was popular in the 50's through the early 70's. The laws regarding removal and disposal of Class II asbestos have been greatly relaxed, and in many locales it can be discarded as simple household trash. The only possible exposure you could get in the removal of Class II asbestos is using power tools on it (saws etc.) because of the dust generated. If you stick with non-power tools for the removal, you'll be fine. If it were me, I'd remove as much as possible by hand, then simply overlay the floor with 1/4" laun underlayment, then install your new floor. BTW, I was involved in asbestos removal for several years as a contractor.

Asbestos removal can be done legally in residential homes by homeowners or contractors as long as there is no violation of state or federal standards covering non-regulated hazardous air pollutants.

In many renovation projects where asbestos is present (floor tiles and siding being the two most common), the general practice is to leave the old in place and install new material over it.

Read my full article "Asbestos Removal Guidelines for Contractors and Homeowners":

use respirators when working with the linoleum. also block off all other areas of the home in order to eliminate dust from settling elsewhere with plastic sheets etc.

If it was my floor, i would just cover the linoleum with the new flooring and not worry about removing it. Its when it gets airborne is when you have a problem such as when tearing it apart.

Aside from that i would contact a company who specializes in asbestos removal and ask for a quote.

Hi, Ok best way to tackly this is get yourself onbe of those throw away overalls. gloves. and a breathing mask. I know it sounds dramatic but it is the safest way. you will also need plendy of plastic bags to put it in and a skip so it can be remover and desposed of safely. Asbestos is probably the hardest thing to get rid of that is why it is usually left to profesinals. Yes it does cost a lot but it is better to be safe than sorry. It is a big job no doubt about that. Once you have remover the material the floor has to be treated so no trace of it is left. it is usually treated whith a type of glue/varnish that FIXES the floor and gives you a basis to put in your new floor.once you have done all this. you put all the papers etc and your ground test together and keep them safe then any time in the future you wish to sell the property you have full proof that the work has been carred out and it put's value on the property.

Hope this help's

Dr K.I.A

Get a quote from an asbestos abatement (removal) company. Then figure out how much it would cost to put a new underlayment over the existing floor. As long as you can "encapsulate" the asbestos, you'll be fine. This is going to be something that will have to be disclosed either way when you go to sell your house (if you ever do).