Manufacturers often made this type of flooring with a friable asbestos backing which means asbestos fibres are easily released into the air if the sheet flooring.
Asbestos floor tiles low risk.
In most cases vinyl tiles are considered non friable.
Asbestos floor tiles will not release toxic fibers and pose a health risk unless they are disturbed.
If the floor is true linoleum damage does not present a danger of asbestos inhalation unless it extends all the way to the subfloor and exposes the mastic which may contain asbestos.
Asbestos vinyl sheet flooring poses a significantly greater asbestos exposure risk than floor tiles or wallpaper.
Unfortunately vinyl sheet flooring manufactured with an asbestos backing poses a serious exposure risk when it is disturbed.
You could also seal it with a coat of epoxy floor paint.
Therefore they generally pose a lower risk to health.
Floor tiles can become friable if they are mishandled damaged or are in a badly worn or weathered condition.
Sanding sawing drilling or tearing the tiles out however can release fibers into the air.
Both these options will keep the asbestos trapped in the floor.
Like floor tiles vinyl sheet flooring is a long lasting and economical material and it also offers more aesthetic options to suit a homeowner s taste.
But when vinyl asbestos flooring is in good condition it is considered nonfriable.
Mixing asbestos into vinyl floor tiles made them more insulating and resistant to damage.
In many cases the best thing to do about vinyl asbestos flooring is put a new layer of flooring on top of it.