Modern vinyl tiles don't contain any asbestos. However, if your vinyl flooring was put down before or during the '80s, it likely contains asbestos. Asbestos makes vinyl flooring more durable and therefore longer-lasting, which is why it became popular in the manufacture of vinyl floor tiles throughout the world and Australia.

If you have purchased an older home and it hasn't been renovated in decades, it could contain vinyl asbestos flooring. And if you have already concluded that your home's vinyl tiles contain asbestos, you are likely wondering if you and your family are at risk of asbestos exposure.

Intact Asbestos Tiles Are Safe

The good news is that undisturbed asbestos flooring poses no risk to you or your family. This is because the vinyl acts as a binder that holds the asbestos in place.

Damaged Asbestos Tiles Are Dangerous

However, if disturbed, the asbestos contained in the tiles could become friable (easily crumbled). Once disturbed, such as by general foot traffic, friable asbestos becomes airborne, and you and anyone else in the house may breathe those fibres in.

If you suspect that your vinyl tiles contain asbestos, you should think about either covering them in some way or hiring an asbestos disposal company to remove them.

But until you can do that, ensure that you avoid damaging the tiles in the following ways.

Avoid Scraping Furniture on Asbestos Tiles

Although asbestos vinyl tiles are durable, they are also very old. This means that you should try to avoid dragging chairs across asbestos flooring. You should also be wary when moving large items of furniture over your floor tiles.

Refrain From Cutting Materials on Asbestos Tiles

If you don't have enough space to cut materials such as drywall for renovation or decorating, don't use your vinyl flooring. You could end up cutting through the vinyl flooring, and this will release asbestos fibres into the air.

Don't Bring Heavy Equipment Into Contact With Asbestos Tiles

Are you about to carry out renovations to your home or yard? Then make sure that you don't accidentally damage the asbestos tiling with heavy machinery or equipment as you pass through the room.

Test Your Flooring or Have It Removed

Do you suspect that your tiles contain asbestos? At the very least, you should arrange to have the tiles tested for asbestos. While you can safely cover intact asbestos tiling with another layer of asbestos-free tiles, you should consider removing it if you plan on carrying out extensive renovations in the future.