The short answer
Many older homes have a grey cement cold water tank in the loft, or a cement flue pipe from an old boiler or warm-air heater. These are often asbestos cement. The fibres are bound in cement, and removal is normally non-licensed work when it’s done carefully, without breaking the material up more than necessary.
How to recognise them
Asbestos cement tanks are usually grey, heavy and slightly rough, with a thick wall. Flues are grey cement pipes, sometimes with a cowl on the roof. Plastic and fibreglass tanks look quite different. But cement without asbestos looks much the same, so only a laboratory test confirms it. See what asbestos looks like and asbestos testing.
Do they have to come out?
Not necessarily. A sound cement tank or flue that you leave alone is a low risk. Common reasons to remove one are:
- the tank is no longer used after a combination boiler was fitted
- you’re converting or boarding the loft
- the flue is cracked or damaged, or its appliance is being replaced
- you’re re-roofing and the flue passes through the roof
If the tank still supplies water, a plumber needs to drain it and disconnect it first.
What HSE says about the work
HSE has two non-licensed task sheets for this work in its Asbestos essentials series:
- A15: removing an asbestos cement product such as a tank, duct or water cistern
- A35: replacing an asbestos cement flue or duct
A15 says to “try to remove the product intact”, to dampen it, and to double-wrap it in heavy-duty polythene before lowering it carefully. Damaged sections can be strengthened with duct tape.
The access problem
Loft tanks were often put in before the loft hatch was finished, so many won’t fit back through it. When a tank can’t come out whole, A15 says to “wrap it in 1000-gauge polythene sheet before breaking it up”, then break the wrapped tank carefully with a hammer. The pieces stay inside the wrapping, which keeps dust and debris contained.
A15 also covers the loft itself: board out a safe working area, protect nearby surfaces with polythene, restrict access and take precautions against falls.
Flues and gas appliances
If a flue serves a working gas appliance, the appliance must be disconnected safely first. That is gas work for a Gas Safe registered engineer. Once it’s disconnected, the flue can be removed and the roof or wall opening made good.
Some old boilers and heaters also contain other asbestos parts, such as rope seals or panels. See pipe lagging and boilers.
Leaving a tank or flue in place
If a disused tank or flue is in good condition and you don’t need the space, you can leave it. Make sure anyone going into the loft knows it may be asbestos, so they don’t stand on it, drill into it or knock it. Don’t store heavy boxes on or against it.
If you’re having loft insulation laid, boarding fitted or a conversion done, deal with the tank first. Installers working near it are bound by the asbestos rules and need to know what it is before they start.
Waste
Wrapped tanks and flue sections are labelled and taken by a registered waste carrier to a permitted site, with a consignment note. See asbestos waste disposal.
We remove cement water tanks and flues. See water tank and flue removal or ask us for a quote.
Quick answers
Is my loft water tank asbestos?
If it’s grey cement, it may be. A laboratory test of a small sample will confirm it.
Can an asbestos tank come out through a small loft hatch?
Often it has to be wrapped first and then broken up inside the wrapping. HSE’s A15 sheet describes this.
Does removing an asbestos tank need a licence?
Not normally. HSE’s A15 sheet covers it as a non-licensed task.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. For the law itself, see the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and HSE’s asbestos pages. Not sure what you’re dealing with? Ask us.