Asbestos was used quite frequently in construction for residential, commercial, and industrial building projects. For a very long time, no one knew that asbestos was dangerous and was considered a great material. Asbestos was valued for its heat resistance and fiber strength, leading it to be used in many building materials such as roofing shingles, ceilings, wall boards, plaster, floor tiles, paper products, and asbestos cement products. It was also used in heat resistant fabrics, packaging, gaskets, and coatings. Buildings constructed in or around Aiken can be old enough to have these materials in them, predating the EPA bans on asbestos.
Where asbestos may be found:
- Attics, wall board, plasters and wall insulation
- Vinyl floor tiles and the backing on vinyl sheet flooring and adhesives
- Roofing and siding shingles
- Textured paint and patching compounds used on wall and ceilings
- Walls and floors around wood-burning stoves protected with asbestos paper, millboard, or cement sheets
- Hot water and steam pipes coated with asbestos material or covered with an asbestos blanket or tape
- Oil and coal furnaces and door gaskets with asbestos insulation
- Heat-resistant fabrics