Thursday, June 12, 2008

Asbestos test positive in kitchen flooring


We sent two samples of our vinyl flooring into AccuKits to test for asbestos, which we heard was prevalent in vinyl flooring before the 1970s. We got our test results back today. The bathroom floor (definitely older than the 1970s) came back fine but the kitchen floor (the one we were planning to pull out next month, pictured above) came back with what they tell us to be "positive for asbestos at a concentration of 25 percent Chrysotile, above the regulatory level of 1 percent."

At first glance, this doesn't sound particularly good but I did a bit of digging on Mr. Internet and I am confused by what I'm finding. Some believe that the chrysotile type of asbestos isn't actually all that harmful; meaning that the body can fight off these fibers, if inhaled, more than the other type, amphibole asbestos, which is often linked to causing mesothelioma. Others say, no matter what type of asbestos is harmful and should be avoided at all costs.

I guess, no matter what, we're going to have to leave the floor as it is and cover it up or hire an abatement company to take it out. Either way, craptastic, that's for sure.

1 comment:

Jennifer said...

I was glad that our asbestos was the non-friable kind when removed...

if I were you, I would cover it up. You could easily tile over it, or lay hardwood down... or almost anything!