Hi Orangelime. Welcome to the forum.

I'm not a doctor nor am I an expert on asbestos. However, this question pops up regularly on this forum. 

The asbestos in Artex was Chrysotile, or white asbestos, and it made up about 2% of the mix. Whilst white asbestos cannot be called "safe", it is definitely the least hazardous form.  Furthermore the body will naturally clear out a small number of white asbestos fibres over time.  The low concentration of asbestos means that the number of fibres released will be quite low if you cut or drill it, with many fibres remaining trapped in the other 98% of material that fell to the floor and got swept up. 

You asked about the risk to your family.  Perhaps not surprisingly, there are no figures for the number of people who have died due to exposure to asbestos in decorative products.  However in 2016 there were 2,197 male deaths and 398 female deaths from mesothelioma. I hate to use gender stereotyping, but I suspect that few of those women were exposed at work, which means they must have been exposed to asbestos elsewhere. In the home, perhaps?  Now 398 sounds a lot, but to put it in context, 3500 people die in the home each year from simple accidents; 1800 die each year in road accidents; 1500 die from accidental poisoning; 1500 die each year from falling in the home; 5-10 die each year putting on their socks.  

So, although you're kicking yourself that you disturbed the material, you have done what most other householders (including me!) have done at some time - disturbed the Artex in the ceiling and possibly breathed in the fibres. But the extra risk to your family appears to be minimal and definitely nothing to panic about. It most certainly isn't a death warrant that will be hanging over everyone's head for years to come. You're getting expert advice on what to do next, but maybe sealing the damaged areas and being more asbestos aware is all that you'll need to do. Almost certainly removing the Artex would be more dangerous than leaving it in place and keeping it properly sealed. 

I'll also add one further point. Smoking and asbestos are a lethal combination. If you or any of your family are smokers, then now might be a good time to quit. 

So I guess the take home message is Don't Panic. 

Thank you for this. Really appreciate you replying. I do feel reassured now! 

Hi 

have just been reading you post. So feeling a little concerned, I have an 10x8ft outhouse connected to my house (build in the 1950's) we took a ceiling down as it was all cracked and breaking. The window was open but I did not wear a mask the second day and th room was full of thick dust the door to the outhouse was open. Since then I have been told it was most likely asbestos plastboards and to look for something similar to horse hair within it. Which I could not see , I have ordered a test but concerned about all the dust around the house. An given I have a week immune system and respiratory problems already. I was in and out of the room all day. 
 

any advice would be much appreciated 

nikki

Hi Jak99

Really good information I suffer from anxiety a lot and when reading stuff on internet it becomes quite stressful would I be able to add you as a friend just to ask some more information please.

Kind Regards 

David

[@Jak99]‍ in a similar situation and having sleepless nights. Would you be open to sharing with me to put my mind at ease?

Hi, [@Jak99]‍ 

I recently came across this forum while searching for how to deal with asbestos exposure. I am currently doing a home renovation and my builder sawed into our artex ceiling to fit in gallows bracket to support the chimney breast after chimney removal and the asbestos test has come back positive. Can I pm you pls @jak99, my daughter's room is above this ceiling and we are living in the house while the work is being done.

Hi, a year ago i did some house rennovations and took down 5 ceilings containing artex and considered it to be heavy exposure as i couldnt see the othe side off the room this was 2 days work. I just have bad anxiety and im worried that it was heavy exposure. I was wearing a mask to do the job, but because at the time i had no idea artex was even a thing, the mask came off when i got sweaty and when i was just bagging and sweeping up i was also not wearing the mask. Which is why im very worried this was heavy exposure. Thanks. I know alot has been said already just looking threw the forum, which does reassure me somewhat. However 5 ceilings completley revoved created an incredible amount of dust and have been worried since i discovered what artex contained. Thanks 

HI [@Jak99]‍ , I have been worrying sick about this too. I scraped a small 1 square metre of the swirl artex and didn't have it tested. Had no idea it could even contain asbestos. There should warnings given out. However your words from the experts are very comforting. I had managed to get it out of my headfor years after it happened but something has recently gotme worrying about it again. I am guessing that the level of activitiy with the Artex has been far too minimal and as you say you need to have prolonged exposure or massive quantities. Thanks so much for posting this you are an angel.... googling is awful. 

I did figure that asbestos companies need fear to drive business so I can understand their tone and why they push for this. Thanks Jak99

Hi Jak99, would you mind if I contacted you directly to chat about your post above - our builders have just knocked out our artex ceilings in the dining room and kitchen but we're now being told that neighbours' ceilings have tested positive for asbestos and we're still living here in all the dust with two kids! Have had an awful day worrying about it all and builder is very casual about it and says he can tell the artex is just paint but Google searches argue that you can only be 100% sure it's not asbestos if it's tested!

Thank you so much in advance

Hi I'm very new here , discovered this forum weeks ago and my mind was put at rest with some of the posts explaining the overall dangers of accidental exposure are minimal so I was happy with that . I'm with a housing association and after a flood that caused my kitchen ceiling to cave in asbestos was disturbed . This was back in December! Only now have the arranged a "specialist" to come out and remove the rest of the ceiling and asbestos- this was today and I've just come home to dust and minimal debris in my kitchen cupboards, this then got me thinking that they may not indeed be professional specialists as surely they should have cleaned up properly ? My main question is should a company leave paperwork to say that they have tested the air after a job like this ? There was no paperwork left . I'm currently waiting on the out of hours repair team phoning me back to see if they can shed any light on wether or not an air test was carried out . I have my little girl and dog to worry about as well as myself . There's no carpet in my bedroom which is directly above the kitchen and there's habs in the floorboard so my main worry is sleeping in that bedroom tonight! I don't see any dust in my bedroom . Can anyone shed any light or offer any advice on what the standard process is re air testing etc I don't even know if the special are required to test air after a job ? I may be overreacting and worrying over nothing 

Hi blonde1, I've had a similar experience, my bathroom has a burst pipe a couple of months ago, which resulted in it flooded through my kitchen ceiling. There was a crack in the artex in the kitchen ceiling and lots of white dust which I just cleaned up the next day. Everything dried out by the next day, plumber came out fixed the pipe never mentioned the kitchen ceiling.  So there's been a 6inch crack in my kitchen ceiling, right above my sink and draining board.  Just got back from holiday yesterday and thought it looked worst so I've asked landlord to look at it. Now I'm worried sick that I've been eating and drinking from the dishes on the draining board right under the crack.  I've never heard of asbestos in ceilings until now, deversated. 

Hi , I know this is an old post but would love to know what you found out from the professionals on risks etc ,  as we've just bought an old house and already has lots of holes in the walls , there is so much scary stuff about it on the Internet 

thanks 

Hi , I know this is an old post but would love to know what you found out from the professionals on risks etc ,  as we've just bought an old house and already has lots of holes in the walls , there is so much scary stuff about it on the Internet 

thanks 

Hello

Am looking to buy a house with absestos in and stumbled across this thread. 

Not that its anything scientific but my dad used to saw up asbestos (the more dangerous types) back in the 60's and has scaring on his lungs but is still alive at the age of 82! He's had more health issues from heart disease and strokes than he has from the asbestos exposure.

Just thought it might help with perspective.

Neil