Hi all- I’ve never posted here before but I can’t find anything that helps me personally tell what my floor is made of. I’m probably going to post elsewhere too to see if I can get more answers. But I apologize if I posted in wrong forum or discussion website. I’ve never posted on forums before! Someone else posted something similar on site but was a little different. Anyways, we’re currently renting a home that was built in the 1930’s and still has a lot of original fixtures and such (ie: corroded green piping, entirely original toilet- fill valve is discontinued model, IMO bad sub flooring & found water damage behind bathtub access wall. I learned our “subfloor” is planks- it’s not solid pieces of wood, I’ll try to insert photos. But we’re having bathroom issues and I’m afraid the home has rotten floors and bathroom wood. So while going down the rabbit hole of trying to update the house I’ve come to some problems. I can’t tell if our floor is linoleum or vinyl and if it’s a danger for asbestos. The house has vents in the floors and I pulled them all out to see the layers of flooring, and you can go into the basement and look up at what I believe is our subfloor and the wood joists (beams?) the basement floor is concrete as are basement walls, the floor we walk on upstairs is linoleum OR vinyl (that’s what I want to know), and carpet. I noticed in the kitchen floor vent it’s the current lino/vinyl, thin wood under that, then ANOTHER old lino/vinyl peaking out, and wood under that. I want to take out the carpet and the lino/vinyl to check on the floors under it (and replace the current floors). But if it contains asbestos then that’s a problem. I’m sorry for rambling- I just need all the help I can get 😄. I don’t think my LL would know much because she has said she doesn’t know what’s underneath. I wanted laminate wood planks, or new carpet, and something for bathroom/kitchen. This is the first home I’ve ever had (have always lived in basic apartments that had maintenance people) So having access to an entire home and some responsibility for these things I feel like I have to fix them even if I’m only renting. I’m talking about big problems. Like renting I feel like big problems like structure / subfloor/ piping/electrical/plumbing (aside from inside the tank) are the home owners responsibility- but I WANT to fix them. I WANT this house to last.
My biggest fear is the bathroom is rotting where we can’t see. If you go in the basement, the bathroom & bedroom are on a hard to access part (to be able to look up at them.) there’s a concrete wall with a man made hole. You could crawl through but the floor looks like tarp and higher up then normal grounds level. I can’t see good through the hole- it’s like 3ft tall by 3ft wide & pitch black. Need a better flash light. Again I’m sorry for rambling!! Someone tell me if they think the lino/vinyl possibly contains asbestos & if it’s lino OR vinyl! It looks like solid sheet- not individual pieces. Has texture- not completely smooth but no grout- only the appearance. The bathroom piece cracked when I tried to pull it back. That’s why it looks like that. If the house wasn’t so old I would be able to get more information I feel like. 🥴

TL;DR original 1930’s home being rented, possibly has subfloor & rotten wood, cannot tell if floor is linoleum or vinyl & want to rip it out to see underneath for extent of water damage & replace anyways. Afraid floor contains asbestos. I’m very afraid of the bathroom (and flooring in general) but want this house to work out for the long haul for us! We just moved in December 1st 2019. I’m afraid the house has been flooded (2006 & 2011 flood IMA). River is basically in back yard, was told “the house is above flood level” but I disbelieve it. Even if it wasn’t flooded, there is water damage from bathroom. Want to find the extent.