Worried a material in your Hackney property might be asbestos? This guide explains where it's commonly found and what to look for — and why the only way to be sure is a test. For advice, call 020 4652 3586.
You can't identify it by sight
This is the single most important point: asbestos fibres are microscopic, and asbestos-containing materials look like ordinary building products. No one — not even a specialist — can confirm asbestos just by looking. The colour of the material tells you nothing reliable either. Confirmation always needs laboratory analysis of a sample.
Where asbestos is commonly found
Any building built or refurbished before the year 2000 may contain asbestos, because it was widely used until it was fully banned in the UK in 1999. Common places include textured coatings (artex) on ceilings and walls, asbestos insulating board around boilers and behind heaters, asbestos cement in garage and shed roofs, gutters and downpipes, floor tiles and their bitumen adhesive, pipe lagging, and soffits. In short, it can be almost anywhere in an older property.
The three main types
Historically, three types were used: chrysotile (often called white asbestos), amosite (brown) and crocidolite (blue). While these names refer to colour, weathered and painted materials make colour useless for identification — which is exactly why testing matters. What's more relevant is the material's condition and whether it's likely to be disturbed.
Why condition matters more than appearance
Asbestos in good, undisturbed condition is generally low risk. The danger comes from damage — drilling, cutting, sanding or breakage — which releases fibres. So rather than trying to identify asbestos by eye, the practical questions are: could this material contain asbestos given the building's age, and is it at risk of being disturbed? If yes to both, get it checked before any work.
How to confirm it safely
The safe route is a survey or sample test. We take a small sample under controlled conditions and have it analysed by a UKAS-accredited laboratory, so you get a definitive answer. If you're planning renovation, a survey covering the whole work area is wiser than testing one item. Explore our survey and testing services or call 020 4652 3586.
Frequently asked questions
Can I tell if something is asbestos from a photo?
No. Neither a photo nor an in-person look can confirm asbestos — it requires laboratory analysis of a physical sample. Anyone claiming otherwise isn't being straight with you.
My house was built after 2000 — am I safe?
Asbestos was fully banned in the UK at the end of 1999, so buildings constructed entirely after 2000 are very unlikely to contain it. Pre-2000 buildings, or older parts of newer ones, may.
Is it safe to take my own sample?
It's better not to. Taking a sample disturbs the material and can release fibres if done without proper controls. A surveyor samples safely and gives you a defensible lab result.
Does white asbestos mean it's less dangerous?
Don't rely on colour or type to judge risk. All asbestos types are hazardous when fibres are released, and weathering and paint make colour an unreliable guide anyway.