Asbestos Insulation Board
Asbestos Insulation Board (AIB) is the most common of the asbestos insulation products still in situ (many of the others have been removed). It was typically used to clad areas around heat sources such as boilers and hotwater pipe runs.
Asbestos Insulation Board is very similar to plasterboard (especially Superlux) in consistency and was commonly used from 1930 up until 1985 when it was banned along with all other asbestos products that contained Amosite or Crocidolite. It normally contains upto 30% of Amosite (Brown asbestos) and/or Crocidolite (blue asbestos) meaning it poses a high risk when the fibres are exposed or the product is damaged.
It was also commonly used as a fireproofing material particularly in ceilings (often in the form of ceiling tiles; see below), partition walls and firebreaks.
Unfortunately asbestos insulating board was also used as a general board and is often found in soffits (see below), garage ceilings and as infill panels around windows & fireplaces (in fact; anywhere you might use plasterboard you will find AIB).
AIB is a risky product and should be handled carefully. Use our 'Need a quote?' form to get costs from licensed removal companies or, if you suspect you may have AIB, you can get a sample taken and analysed.
Asbestos Ceiling Tiles
Because of its fireproofing properties asbestos insulating board was often used to make specialised asbestos ceiling tiles. These were often perforated and usually used in suspended ceilings and are still quite commmon in old (pre 1984) offices even today. This product will often be damaged because of office refurbs and IT works which can cause problems because even minimal disruption from air movement will cause fibre release from a broken tile. As this product contains some of the more dangerous asbestos types like Crocidolite and Amosite it is imperative that action is taken. Anyone working in the vicinity could potentially be breathing in fibres on a daily basis and which could cause asbestos illnesses.
AIB ceiling tiles in workplaces come under the asbestos licensing laws and can only be removed (or worked upon) by an HSE-licensed contractor. If you are concerned that your ceiling tiles may contain asbestos we would advise that you get the product analysed by an expert.
Asbestos Soffits
Asbestos was commonly used to form soffits. The material used would either be asbestos cement or AIB. There is a significant difference between the dangers posed by the two products and it is essential that the material type is established before any works take place. You should also consider that removal of asbestos insulation board will normally need to be carried out by a licensed contractor whereas asbestos cement works can normally be carried out by a general builder.
The differences can be clear if you can get a close look through an upstairs window or from a ladder. Cement is only about half a centimetre thick and is hard whereas AIB is about a centimetre or so thick and much softer (often with visible fibres). Unfortunately there is no definitive way to identify these materials without analysis because some rarer forms of AIB (such as belgian board) are very similar in appearance to cement board.
Got a trade name? You can find a comprehensive list of asbestos trade names here.
| Table 1. Asbestos Insulation Board overview |
| Period Used |
Crocidolite up until 1965
Amosite until 1980 |
Location |
Pipe runs, ceilings, ceiling voids, in and around firedoors, infills, soffits, garage ceilings , around windows, fireplaces, airing cupboards. |
| Asbestos Types |
Amosite, Crocidolite |
Use |
Thermal insulation, fireproofing, building material, pipe cladding. |
| Content |
15-25% (older boards could contain upto 40%) |
Risk (High, Medium or Low) |
Medium (high if badly damaged) |