I am in the process of organizing a heavier workshop in a garage. The roof has eternit sheets with asbestos. They're likely at least 60 years old. They've cracked a bit and are leaking, and I've thought about placing battens over them and laying roofing sheets over the battens. To attach the battens, I've considered drilling through the eternit sheets and fastening screws into the battens the eternit sheets rest on.
However, I'm a bit nervous about drilling into the eternit and wonder if this is a good idea. I've bought a protective suit and mask with a P3 filter and plan to cover my entire body and spray water when drilling so it doesn't dust. But the question is: will it be safe to be in the workshop after this?
It's also not easy to clean there as it's a concrete and dirt floor. How should I think about this?
Perhaps it would be best to remove the eternit entirely and hire a company for this, then put up new battens and roofing sheets. Or am I being overly cautious? I don't want to be nervous when I'm standing in there working after sealing the roof.
However, I'm a bit nervous about drilling into the eternit and wonder if this is a good idea. I've bought a protective suit and mask with a P3 filter and plan to cover my entire body and spray water when drilling so it doesn't dust. But the question is: will it be safe to be in the workshop after this?
It's also not easy to clean there as it's a concrete and dirt floor. How should I think about this?
Perhaps it would be best to remove the eternit entirely and hire a company for this, then put up new battens and roofing sheets. Or am I being overly cautious? I don't want to be nervous when I'm standing in there working after sealing the roof.
Put on your suit and mask and start drilling.. that is exactly the protective gear the professionals use who are exposed to asbestos 40 hours a week for several years!
Everything about asbestos is so hyped, and people think they'll die in a week if they touch asbestos..
Throw away the mask and suit afterward, so you don't have to worry.
Everything about asbestos is so hyped, and people think they'll die in a week if they touch asbestos..
Throw away the mask and suit afterward, so you don't have to worry.
Yes, you sound overly cautious.
I would probably have been on the roof wearing shorts and drilling.
The potential small amount of dust caused by the drilling is likely less dangerous than being in central Stockholm for a day.
And how the dust could enter the workshop and contaminate it to the point that it's dangerous to be in is a mystery to me.
I would probably have been on the roof wearing shorts and drilling.
The potential small amount of dust caused by the drilling is likely less dangerous than being in central Stockholm for a day.
And how the dust could enter the workshop and contaminate it to the point that it's dangerous to be in is a mystery to me.
But what could happen? You drill a few small holes. The dust rises upward into the open air.
You're not sitting with your nose over the holes and sniffing in the dust. If a small percentage of the dust does go in, it is unlikely to pose any danger.
It's not plutonium you have in the ceiling.
You're not sitting with your nose over the holes and sniffing in the dust. If a small percentage of the dust does go in, it is unlikely to pose any danger.
It's not plutonium you have in the ceiling.
The simplest way is probably to avoid drilling and just screw directly through the panels. They are so thin that a normal screw goes right through. I would think that it would also work fine to nail the studs with five-inch nails. Then there is no dust at all and asbestos panels are well-made, which is the function of asbestos, so they don't just split because you drive sturdy nails through them.
As long as you're not drilling for 30 years, there is no risk!P pota said:
There are several tons of asbestos in Stockholm's subways since asbestos was used in the brake pads for the first 50 years, the same with all car brake pads before 1982, but when they stopped in the subway, I do not know.
Wherever you are on the globe, you breathe in asbestos with every breath, and humanity doesn't die from it!
So it's fine.
Go for it....
It was when I read on the Swedish Work Environment Authority's website that I became a little worried:
when sawing, grinding, drilling holes, or drilling, large amounts of asbestos fibers are released, and high levels of asbestos are formed in the air.
https://www.av.se/produktion-industri-och-logistik/asbest/privatpersoners-hantering-av-asbest/
That's why I'm starting to wonder if it's wise to drill into the tiles since I plan to use the garage as a workshop and therefore be there quite a bit ...
when sawing, grinding, drilling holes, or drilling, large amounts of asbestos fibers are released, and high levels of asbestos are formed in the air.
https://www.av.se/produktion-industri-och-logistik/asbest/privatpersoners-hantering-av-asbest/
That's why I'm starting to wonder if it's wise to drill into the tiles since I plan to use the garage as a workshop and therefore be there quite a bit ...
Agree with @useless, remove the asbestos cement and build the new roof properly!useless said:
45 years ago I drilled and sawed asbestos cement boards on the wall of our house at that time during renovation.
And 37 years ago I took down all the asbestos cement and sent it to the dump when we switched back to wood paneling.
And I'm still alive as you might understand
But the recommendations are primarily for people who work with asbestos all the time, or at least often. I do think that one should have respect for asbestos and take simple protective measures. Like protecting yourself with a mask, perhaps wetting the work area a bit to reduce dust spread.
But if you drill into Eternit one day every 10 years, and do it completely unprotected, without sitting and sniffing in as much drill dust as you can, you still won't get sick. However, if you were to sniff in asbestos drill dust 8 hours a day for 10 years, then maybe you should be a little worried.
But if you drill into Eternit one day every 10 years, and do it completely unprotected, without sitting and sniffing in as much drill dust as you can, you still won't get sick. However, if you were to sniff in asbestos drill dust 8 hours a day for 10 years, then maybe you should be a little worried.
- I wouldn't build in the tiles but take them down first as sign: useless says. Otherwise, you're just moving the problem into the future and making it even more difficult.
- Are the tiles really so cracked that you can't just spackle and paint?
- If you still want to drill, you can apply a dab of shaving foam and drill through. Wipe off afterwards. It captures most of the dust.
- Are the tiles really so cracked that you can't just spackle and paint?
- If you still want to drill, you can apply a dab of shaving foam and drill through. Wipe off afterwards. It captures most of the dust.