Doors and windows

Asbestos can be found in adhesives like grout, sealants, putties and dry powder mixes used in many places like windows, bathrooms and kitchens.

Asbestos rope was usually fitted in boxes needing a heat-resistant seal like power boxes, street lighting choke boxes, wood heaters and stoves. Asbestos rope was also used as packing or padding material around pipes.  It was also used in window frames.

Caulking, also called non-corrosive (NC) compound or putty, is brown to dark grey. It is soft and flexible, but sets hard to seal joins and prevent leaks of water, heat or air.

Asbestos cement sheeting can feel hard and brittle. Asbestos cement sheeting is white to grey in colour. It is usually flat and smooth, and may be painted or have dimples like a golf ball on one side.

Strip mouldings can have plain or rounded (spigoted) edges, including louvre blades. A round nail may be visible on the strip, usually just above the surface.

Fire doors may have a friable asbestos core inside a door made of millboard, or be made from cement sheeting. They may be covered in wood, veneer or cladding, and have mastic insulation that looks like a plastic coating or tape.