Asbestos Floor Tiles Low Risk

Older vinyl or rubber floors that are damaged are a different story because the tiles can release asbestos so they need to be removed.

Asbestos floor tiles low risk.

Unfortunately vinyl sheet flooring manufactured with an asbestos backing poses a serious exposure risk when it is disturbed. Asbestos vinyl sheet flooring poses a significantly greater asbestos exposure risk than floor tiles or wallpaper. Asbestos floor tiles will not release toxic fibers and pose a health risk unless they are disturbed. Floor tiles can become friable if they are mishandled damaged or are in a badly worn or weathered condition.

In many cases the best thing to do about vinyl asbestos flooring is put a new layer of flooring on top of it. In most cases vinyl tiles are considered non friable. Sanding sawing drilling or tearing the tiles out however can release fibers into the air. Mixing asbestos into vinyl floor tiles made them more insulating and resistant to damage.

Manufacturers often made this type of flooring with a friable asbestos backing which means asbestos fibres are easily released into the air if the sheet flooring. But when vinyl asbestos flooring is in good condition it is considered nonfriable. If the floor is true linoleum damage does not present a danger of asbestos inhalation unless it extends all the way to the subfloor and exposes the mastic which may contain asbestos. That means it is safe to walk on but not safe to scrape sand or use power tools on.

You could also seal it with a coat of epoxy floor paint. Both these options will keep the asbestos trapped in the floor.