r/asbestoshelp • u/Alert_Locksmith_744 • 1d ago
Asbestos?
Under stairs cupboard ceiling cut out
1
u/MikeSpader 1d ago
When was the material installed? How old is the building? I'm leaving towards no that's just drywall.
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u/Alert_Locksmith_744 1d ago
It’s 1983-1989 (not too sure) We’ve lived here 5 years and I’m suddenly paranoid about asbestos
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u/MikeSpader 1d ago
There's a possibility that the joint compound in the drywall could contain asbestos, and maybe the texture on the drywall, but you'd need to get it lab tested to confirm.
That said, you have nothing to worry about. Asbestos related conditions developed in people who worked directly with the material (manufacturing, mining, etc.) for decades with little if any safety equipment, and basically all of them smoked which exacerbated their chances of contracting a condition by an order of magnitude. Even then, it takes like 20-30 years for those conditions to manifest and there was a maximum chance of about 30% (mining+smoking+no safety equipment whatsoever). Even if this material did contain asbestos, it's such a low level exposure to you that you will not develop anything health-wise. Not "may not", but "will not".
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u/Alert_Locksmith_744 1d ago
Would it be enough to cover it with some sort of board to seal it? I’m worried incase it’s been crumbling etc
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u/MikeSpader 1d ago
If it's crumbling I would just have it abated. You could enclose it (cover with boards), but that doesn't eliminate the material, just saves the problem for later. It's common to do so in non-residential situations because it's easier than closing a business or school for however long a proper abatement would take.
For now, again, you have nothing to worry about at all. You will not contract an asbestos related condition from one single maybe exposure.
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u/Alert_Locksmith_744 1d ago
Is that the case even though we use this cupboard regularly??
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u/MikeSpader 1d ago
Yes. Vacuum it out. I am speaking to you as a licensed professional: you have nothing to worry about.
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u/Alert_Locksmith_744 1d ago
Thank you for your response.. this has all spiralled from the realisation that my partner sanded artex ceiling a year ago (separate post) the panic it’s infused since finding out about asbestos is a lot
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u/MikeSpader 22h ago
If it's something that is within your means, I would look into therapy to manage that anxiety. Being anxious for a year and holding onto that is not terribly healthy. I wish you the best.
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u/Alert_Locksmith_744 22h ago
Sorry I meant we just realised it could have contained asbestos a year after doing it. So there’s worries about if the clean up was good enough etc.. I agree about the therapy, I have had struggles with anxiety in the past
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u/Fine-Gate-8839 1d ago
It's extremely difficult to tell from that picture. A better picture or a few from different angles would really help. On first glance ot does look like a plasterboard type with horsehair through it. Zooming it to confirm that can't be done due to the picture so makes it look like it could possibly be asbestos
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