Eternit in the laundry room - how to handle?

[bullemedbulle]

Recently moved into a 19th-century house a year ago that underwent the typical 1960s beautification with asbestos siding, and now I suspect that the laundry room's interior walls and ceiling are also clad with the same. The panels are heavily painted over, which didn't make me suspicious earlier, but now that various electrical/plumbing work has been done in the room, it really looks like asbestos has cracked and flaked off.

Next week, I'll take samples and send them for analysis for a definitive answer.

But, assuming it's asbestos, what is reasonable to do in this scenario? The room contains the house's residual current device, water supply enters there, etc., so there's a multitude of cables and fittings that will need to be removed if the panels are to be demolished. This feels somewhat overwhelming and expensive... but leaving it as is doesn't feel right since drilling and so on will be unavoidable in the future.

If a cleaning company is hired, how should they handle this with the electricity and water supply?

What might a reasonable cost be for the remediation? The room is about 5 square meters and 2.30 meters in height.

 

[Huddingebo]

Why not just leave it as it is?
Put on smooth fiberglass fabric and paint.

 

[bullemedbulle]

Why not just leave it as it is?
Cover it with smooth fiberglass fabric and paint.

Yes, that option exists, but the problem remains that new perforations in the walls/ceiling of this room will need to occur in the near and distant future. New electrical cables, new piping, etc., as the house is under renovation and the room is the hub for these functions.

For that reason, a clean-up seems to be the best.

 

[PatrikJo]

I don't understand why one would cover an entire laundry room with eternit. I also don't know anyone who can tell by the naked eye if a material contains asbestos or not.

Wait for the test. If it shows asbestos, start thinking about this then.

 

[mrsnhp]

How large future penetrations are we talking about, and is it something you do yourself or something that craftsmen will be subjected to? You don't just collapse and die from DIY activities like drilling a few holes to put up a shelf. Asbestos is primarily a problem for people who work with tearing it out regularly. Not even our electricians worried when they replaced light fittings in the boiler room.

 

[bullemedbulle]

I don't understand why one would cover an entire laundry room with asbestos cement (eternit). I also don't know anyone who can tell by the naked eye if a material contains asbestos or not.

Wait for the test. If it shows asbestos, start considering it then.

I also find it hard to understand, especially since the boiler room is in the adjacent room, but likely laundry was boiled there before, hence the fire risk.

I work in the architecture industry and often encounter asbestos cement in various forms, so I have a fairly good grasp of what it can look like. But in this particular case, it's a bit difficult to assess. However, the damaged parts really do look like asbestos cement, and since it's been put up on the façade, there has undoubtedly been access to it in the house.

Awaiting the test.

 

[bullemedbulle]

How big are the future drilling projects we are talking about, and is it something you will do yourself or something that craftsmen will be exposed to? You don't keel over and die as a DIYer just by, for example, drilling a few holes to put up a shelf. Asbestos is primarily a problem for people who work with demolishing it regularly. Not even our electricians cared when they replaced the fluorescent armature in the boiler room.

Drilling for new water and sewer pipes and an extractor fan, as well as nailing electrical cables, is for the craftsmen. Putting up shelves, hooks, etc., will probably be relevant for us. No massive interventions perhaps, but still interventions.

 

[Huddingebo]

Sounds like you're going to be drilling and fixing quite a bit in the room anyway. Maybe it's just as well to take it down.

Otherwise, laundry rooms are pretty good to have extra fireproofing...

I had eternit in both the laundry room and the boiler room myself.

 

[mrsnhp]

Drilling for new water and sewer lines and paxfan, as well as nailing down electrical cables, is for the craftsmen. Putting up shelves, hooks, etc., will probably be our part. No massive interventions, perhaps, but still interventions.

Ask the craftsmen what they think. Paxfan and water and sewer are perhaps big enough for them to have opinions. They might also have ideas on how to manage existing lines in the meantime.

 

[bullemedbulle]

A bit of follow-up.

Took a sample in the fall from one of the wall panels and sent it to the lab, confirmed asbestos.

Had a decontamination company check the laundry room and provided a quote, will contact a few more, and got a price of 30,000:- including rot. However, they wanted all the electrical, including the electrical panel (mounted on a wall), to be removed first to safely tear down all the asbestos cement.
Can't figure out how to go about it, and the company guy didn't give any clear answers, leaving it to me "to solve," sort of.

I assume no electrician wants/is allowed to unscrew the electrical panel and fixtures, remove cable nails, etc., if asbestos is confirmed? Maybe I'll have to do those parts myself?

The question remains how practically to proceed once everything is detached from the wall. All wiring can probably hang freely at the ceiling trim, it's stable Kulo, but the electrical panel? Not keen on cutting power to the whole house for 1-2 days...

 

[Jonatan79]

Add a layer of plaster and paint. Where you need to make holes, you can cut away a piece so it's prepared, and you avoid drill dust right there. Small drill holes in the future are a piece of cake...

 

[bullemedbulle]

Put on a layer of plaster and paint. Where you need to make holes, you can cut away a piece so it's prepared and you don't have to deal with drill dust right there. Small drill holes in the future are a piece of cake...

I understand that such solutions can be made, but now we want to completely remediate the room from asbestos, not do something half-hearted.

 

[Jonatan79]

I understand that such solutions can be made, but now we want to completely sanitize the room from asbestos. Not do a half-hearted job.

Ok. Then the electrician will have to sort it out. There is surely a temporary solution so you don't have to be without electricity in all or parts of the house during the process.

 

[Claes Sörmland]

A little follow-up.

Took a sample last fall from one of the wall panels and sent it to a lab, and got asbestos confirmed.

Had a remediation company look at the laundry room and got a quote, going to contact a few more, and got a price of 30,000:- including rot. However, they wanted all electricity including the electrical panel (which is on a wall) to be removed before so that they could tear down all the asbestos safely.
Can't figure out how this is going to be done and the company guy didn't give clear answers himself, but left it to me "to solve" sort of.

I assume no electrician wants/is allowed to unscrew the electrical panel and fixtures, remove cable clips, etc., if asbestos is confirmed? Maybe I have to do those parts myself?

The question then remains how to practically proceed once everything is detached from the wall. All cabling can probably hang freely by the ceiling molding, it’s stable kulo, but the electrical panel? Not keen on cutting power to the whole house for 1-2 days..

Just so you have the info as you seem to be a conscientious person: you are not allowed to do such electrical work yourself as disconnecting cables. It wouldn't stop me, but we all value compliance differently...

 

[bullemedbulle]

Aren't you even allowed to loosen cable clips? You are allowed to change electrical outlets and switches, so you should be able to just loosen it from the wall, right? Just curious.

I'll simply have to ask the electrician and see what will be the best solution!