T&V Fencing

How to tell if your fence is Asbestos?

Rethink Marketing — Wed, 31 May 2017 02:04:52 +0000

The only way to be 100% sure a material contains asbestos is to have it tested.

However, in many cases there are 5 quick checks you can do that will help you confirm whether your fence is a Super Six Asbestos fece or a HardiFence.

Asbestos was long seen as one of the most versatile minerals because of its flexibility, tensile strength, insulation from heat and electricity, chemical inertness and affordability.

The versatility of asbestos made it attractive to many industries and Western Australia was one of the highest users per capita in the world up until the mid-1980s. Approximately one third of all homes built in Western Australia contain asbestos products. The widespread use of asbestos has left a deadly legacy of asbestos material.

One of the most popular uses was the asbestos Super Six fence manufactured by James Hardie & Co. until 1990. Later it became known as Hardifence based on the much safer cellulose fibre. Both products look very similar but how do you distinguish between the two?

How old is it?

If your fence was installed after 1990 the chances are that it is either concrete or cellulose fibre (i.e. not asbestos).

If it was installed before this, then it potentially asbestos. The older the fence the more likely it is asbestos.

Remember, that even though a house may have been built in the 1990s if the neighbouring properties are older, then the fence could have first been installed when those properties were built.

What is the capping made of?

If the fence has a capping made of the same material as the fence, then it is highly likely to be asbestos.

As the capping is the part of the fence most exposed to the effects of sun,, rain, hail and wind it will is usually much more weathered than the fencing panels. This means the fibres are often more exposed (and dangerous). As such be very careful with this material.

Over time, many people have chosen to remove the capping or replace it with a metal capping, so while this test can confirm the fence is asbestos, it can’t confirm that it is not.

How many ridges?

Asbestos fences usually have 7 ridges per 1 meter wide panel, where as Hardifence made after 1990 has only 5. Unfortunately early Hardifence products used a similar mould to the Super Six and as such this test can only tell for certain that it is not Asbestos (if it only has 5 ridges).

If your fence has 7 ridges as shown, then it is likely to be asbestos, but you may be “lucky enough” to have an early Hardifence which was concrete.

look for diamond washers

Asbestos fences usually have a diamond shaped washer holding the panels together.

The post How to tell if your fence is Asbestos? first appeared on T&V Fencing.

Swimming Pool Fence laws and regulations in Western Australia

Rethink Marketing — Tue, 30 May 2017 08:22:41 +0000

Drowning is the most common cause of preventable death of children under five years of age. This is why swimming pool and spa fences are so important in keep children out of harms way.

The Building Regulations 2012 mandate the installation of a safety barrier to enclose private swimming and spa pools.

The laws are intended to protect the safety of young children by restricting their access to the area containing the swimming or spa pool.

Western Australia has legislation to restrict unsupervised access by young children to a private swimming or spa pool.

The Building Regulations 2012 allow a dividing fence to form part of the enclosure of a swimming or spa pool, providing the fence satisfies the requirements of Australian Standard AS1926.1 ‘Fencing for Swimming Pools’ (1993 version).

A Guide to Pool & Spa Fences

issued by the WA Depoaretment of Commerce.

The post Swimming Pool Fence laws and regulations in Western Australia first appeared on T&V Fencing.

Fencing disputes laws and regulations in Western Australia

Rethink Marketing — Tue, 30 May 2017 08:12:49 +0000

Dividing fences can often prove to be a flash point for disputes between neighbours.

Understanding your right and responsibilities under the Western Australian Dividing Fence act will help you take some of the heat out of the argument.

This resource we have linked to on the right are intended to help you understand the Dividing Fences Act 1961 (the Act) and the processes for neighbours to agree on the fence that divides their properties, to determine boundaries and to share the cost of construction and repairs.

FAQs

How do I find the owner of the property next door?
If you don’t know the name of the owner of the property next door to you you can :
- check with the tenants or property manager if the property is rented or leased
- do a land title search through Landgate (a fee is payable), or
- contact your local council or shire and, subject to you proving ownership of your property, you may be provided with details of ownership of the property next door.
What is the minimum standard for a dividing fence?

A Guide to Dividing Fences

issued by the WA Department of Commerce.

Dividing Fences Act 1969

The Western Australian legislation covering dividing fences

The post Fencing disputes laws and regulations in Western Australia first appeared on T&V Fencing.