difference between asbestos and non asbestos cement sheets
you should know that asbestos is a mineral and cement sheets, or fibro. These are those materials which are beneficial because the building materials are developed by using asbestos and cement blend. The natural developing asbestos arises as an extensive and fine form of fibrous crystals.
Different products of Asbestos and Materials are fused with different products which are based on cement and stuff are used in the construction sector. These products and ingredients are a blend of cement, based on the sand with asbestos fibres which have been added for strength, and are given a name as ‘fibro’ or just straight ‘asbestos’. The building industry in the 1940s had been in use in the construction and building industry. It is thus possible, virtually every home or construction developed before the nineties, has cement products of asbestos or material of some sort unless there is proof to the opposing it must be expected this is the case.
You should know that the fibrous cement sheets are extra durable as compare to the drywall and easier to work when compare with the concrete, and the best part is, they have plentiful applications in building and construction sector. The majority of people believe that asbestos is like the ‘fibro cement type material which is often used outside the homes’. Asbestos fibres were usually mixed throughout processing with a solid that bound them together so that they might be used in numerous different materials. These are famous as non-friable (bonded) asbestos products, the major difference between asbestos and cement sheet belongs to the nature of asbestos because it produces naturally while the cement sheet is made up of artificial building matter. Nowadays, the fibres in cement sheets are typically prepared by using the cellulose, it is a material which is found in plants and herbs, but it’s a fact that in the first ten decades subsequently to fibrous cement sheets were developed, they were mainly developed by using the with asbestos. You know that fibrous cement has presented a simple and cost-effective substitute to corrugated metallic panels, which present some insulation and unavoidably corrosion after some time. You might have noticed that corrugated asbestos sheets have been used mostly in the roofing of all sorts of construction, particularly in factories and farmhouses.
Keep in mind that there are 6 different types of this useful mineral, you can collectively call it as asbestos. Furthermore, this solid occurs as long, fine fibrous type crystals. These fibres are composed of fibrils, these fibrils are on a tiny scale. Furthermore, these fibrils can easily move to the surroundings through abrasion or by extra procedures. The crystal arrangements of this mineral can be explained as orthorhombic or monoclinic type, as one can see the arrangements of both of them. This sort of mineral has got a white-grey type appearance, the crystal pattern is shapeless, and its cleavage is brindled, and it has got a fibrous fracture. It has a smooth shine, and the mineral line is white.
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a naturally occurring silicate mineral. There are six forms of this mineral; we collectively name it as asbestos. Also, this material occurs as long, thin fibrous crystals. Each of these fibres contains fibrils. These fibrils are on the microscopic scale. Moreover, these fibrils easily move to the atmosphere via abrasion or by other processes. The crystal system of this mineral can be described as either orthorhombic or monoclinic because both these structures can be seen. This mineral has a white-grey appearance. The crystal habit is amorphous, and cleavage is prismatic. The fracture of asbestos is fibrous. It has a silky lustre, and the mineral streak is white.
Asbestos is widely used as a building material, mainly in roofing. However, it is well known for its health hazards. Therefore, in many countries, this material is banned and not allowed to be used as a building material. It is mainly because the inhalation of fibrils of asbestos can cause carcinogenic conditions such as asbestosis and lung cancer. Due to this reason, many materials came into usage as substitutes for asbestos.
What is a Cement Sheet?
The cement sheet is a building material made from asbestos fibres. It is mainly important as a roofing material. Further, the cement sheet contains asbestos fibres and cement. In the production of cement sheet, thin, rigid cement is reinforced using asbestos to form cement sheets.
Moreover, this material is also an excellent substitute for some other building materials such as wood, brick, slate, stones, etc. We name this material as cement sheets because it is made as sheets or pipes, but we can mould it into any other shape as well. Also, the common name of this material in the market is “fibro”.
Testing For Asbestos
At the end of the day even some professional asbestos removers can’t be certain whether fibro has asbestos in it. It all depends on the age of the building and what materials were available at the time. The best way to know for sure is to get About The House to do an asbestos test. You can send a sample to us or have our professionals come to your home to collect a piece of the suspect material. We will then have it tested for asbestos in a laboratory. Ultimately, asbestos testing is cheaper than demolition and is a small price to pay for peace of mind. To get a quote or find our more, contact About The House Safe Asbestos Removal.
Reference-
Thank you for reading this information about asbestos, we have written an article on the best 30 “Asbestos Removal Melbourne” Companies. Please take a read.
https://www.asbestossafety.gov.au/