The post Why was asbestos used as a building material appeared first on UK Construction Blog.

We already know that asbestos is dangerous and that if it’s suspected in any building, it should be tested and removed as soon as possible if it’s suspected in any building. We also know that it’s responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths each year globally. So, if it’s such a hazardous material, why was it used in the first place? The truth is, we didn’t know that it was toxic when it was first used in building materials. However, despite the fact it’s a harmful material, it also has many advantages.

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that can be used for many different purposes, from building materials to plumbing and even consumer goods. But, over time, we noticed that when the material became damaged in any way, it would release tiny fibres that can cause serious lung problems like COPD, asbestosis, lung cancer and many more. This is because those tiny fibres embed themselves into the lungs of people that have accidentally breathed them in.

The problem we had is that the symptoms didn’t show straight away, so it took some time before the connection was made. That’s why having your property checked is so important if you suspect it may have asbestos. There are self testing kits, but it’s best to use a reputable company to combat the problem before it harms you or your loved ones.

But why was asbestos used in building materials, to begin with?

Affordable

Asbestos was mainly used between the 1920s and the 1970s; in that time, the population doubled in size. This meant that new homes needed to be built quickly and affordably. Because asbestos was so widely available in large volumes all over the world, it was an affordable solution that nobody saw a problem with. Even when it became very popular as a building material, it stayed very affordable.

Strong

One of the best things about asbestos as a building material is that those fibres could be mixed with pretty much anything to help increase its strength. Asbestos was often added to concrete and drywalls to make a building stronger.

Fire resistant

Before asbestos was widely used in building materials, many homes around the world used steam, electricity, and paraffin for heat and lighting. The problem here is that combined, they are massive fire hazards. When building companies found asbestos, they found it wasn’t a fire hazard and had very low thermal conductivity, so it seemed like the perfect solution.

Once word got out about asbestos, there was an almost immediate surge in need for it. It was then used in other industries like vehicles and clothing because of how fire-resistant it was. We didn’t know that it was harming us more than the risk of fire.

Insulation

Not only is asbestos a material that’s resistant to fire, affordable and strong, but it was also the perfect material for insulation. The fact that it could withstand heat also meant that it could do the same with the cold. Once this was discovered, it was put into walls and roofs all over the world to help keep homes as warm as possible. And asbestos is water and chemical-resistant, too.

So if a particularly bad patch of weather and a homeowner hadn’t fixed their roof shingles, there probably wasn’t any urgency because asbestos could handle the job. However, while it is resistant, this is where the material starts to break down and can become hazardous.

Versatile

We mentioned earlier that asbestos can be mixed with other materials to make it stronger, but it doesn’t end there. It can also be moulded into pretty much any shape, making it ideal for construction companies worldwide. For example, builders would mix it with concrete to mould it into corrugated sheets for roofing options.

Is it still around today?

Thankfully, asbestos is banned in most countries around the world. However, that doesn’t mean the asbestos problem ends there. There are still millions of homes, office blocks, warehouses and other types of buildings that contain undetected asbestos all around the world. And if it goes unnoticed, it could harm you and your loved ones. So, if your building was built between the 1920s and the 1970s and hasn’t been surveyed for asbestos and you’re in London, look for asbestos surveys essex to get professionals in to assess your building. It’s better to be safe than sorry!