Common Household Items That Once Contained Asbestos | Billy.com

Asbestos was a popular insulation material up until the 1980s. It was commonly used to fill in gaps and prevent any debris or air from coming in. However, even though it isn’t used as often due to safety concerns, asbestos might still be some lurking in your home. Here are some common household items that once contained asbestos and how you can check to see if there’s still any hidden away.

Attics and Floors

Many of the common household items that once contained asbestos can still contain some trace amounts, and you should look them over properly. This is especially common for vinyl flooring. Vinyl flooring is nice for a while, but if you happen to find asbestos while ripping out vinyl tiles, you should contact a professional to help you search for more asbestos. Asbestos can linger for a long time if it’s not correctly fumigated. If you suspect your flooring or attic has any kind of asbestos, you need to assume you’ll be exposed and to get it removed.

The Boiler and Water Heaters

Don’t be scared, but your water heaters and boiler may be hiding something deadly: asbestos. This harmful material can cause long-term effects that won’t appear for at least fifteen years when one is exposed for a prolonged time. Many homes still have some coating of asbestos left over on their appliances; check your heater and boiler and get them cleared of asbestos.

Hair Dryers

This one is strange because you wouldn’t think an everyday item would contain a potentially dangerous silicate mineral lining. Asbestos prevented old hair dryers from catching fire, so if you have an old hairdryer from the 80s or before, get rid of it and find a new hairdryer that won’t harm you.

Refrigerators

Fridges are another item you might not have known contained asbestos at some point in time. Asbestos was commonly used to trap cold air inside refrigerators. Many vintage fridges that you find at antique stores or estate sales may contain asbestos. However, as far as vintage fridges go, you can actually get the asbestos removed and still use them for decorating purposes.

Toasters

Yes, you don’t want to burn your toast, but at the same time, you don’t want to inhale toxic fumes from insulation. Asbestos was once used to prevent toasters from catching on fire. If you have an antique toaster, be mindful about using it.

Asbestos is a common problem that still hangs around. Many people don’t know that some of their antique items as well as older homes could contain insulation that can be harmful, and many of these items go without proper inspection. So before you buy that antique fridge or renovate your next historic home, make sure to get it thoroughly inspected.